The Las Vegas Formula 1 grandstand construction project has taken a turn following the death of Tizoc Antonio, 37, a steelworker who suffered fatal injuries while working on the site. On September 23, 2023, just hours into his first day on the job at the Fountains of Bellagio, Antonio encountered a grave accident that resulted in a wrongful death lawsuit against several companies involved in the construction, as reported by 8 News Now.
The accident occurred as Antonio was making cuts in aluminum decking with an Evolution electric concrete saw, which the lawsuit alleges lacked a crucial "safety stop" feature. Trying to disengage from the aluminum column, the saw reportedly kicked back and caused a severe neck wound that led to Antonio's death, "partially decapitated" being a phrase emerging in legal documents detailed by 8 News Now. Antonio was attempting to make a 1/4 inch cut to aluminum decking to fit around a column when the tragedy struck. Filed late Friday, the lawsuit is seeking damages in excess of $15,000 and a jury trial.
As per the Las Vegas Review-Journal, named in the lawsuit are MGM Resorts International and its Bellagio property, Evolution Power Tools LLC, the manufacturer of the saw; and additional defendants such as Carma Group and Standard Steel, contractors involved in the construction effort. According to records, lawyers for Antonio's estate argue that Antonio would still be here today if the aluminum decking had been designed properly and if the saw had been equipped with an antikickback stop. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued an $11,000 penalty to Standard Steel, contesting the company's role, with the case still open as of the most recent update.
The urgency communicated by the phrase "Time is of the essence" among the contracts between the companies is at the heart of this lawsuit, signifying that perhaps the rush to prepare for the November 2023 race might have compromised safety protocols. While Antonio was a member of the Ironworkers Local 433 union, he and other crew members were making small cuts which led to the catastrophic incident, an accident ruling by the Clark County coroner's office backed up by an uncapped wound of the neck. None of the companies have responded to the allegations as of the latest reports, with MGM International and Evolution Power Tools among those not immediately available for comment at the start of this week.
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