OSHA investigates fatal fall at Bethany Village in Centerville

UPDATE @ 3:45 p.m. (Oct. 12)

Mark A. French, who died Wednesday after falling from a roof at Bethany Lutheran Village retirement community was employed by Dayton-based P&R Communications Services Inc., Ken Montgomery the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s area director in Cincinnati.

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French's employer — which describes itself as a consultative, comprehensive wireless solutions provider — has yet to tell OSHA specifically what he was working on when he fell off the roof, Montgomery said. The accident happened at the retirement village, 6455 Far Hills Ave.

Centerville police alerted OSHA to the Dayton man’s death, and the agency’s investigators were on scene within 45 minutes, Montgomery said. Investigators will return Friday, he said.

This is the second fatal workplace fall that OSHA is investigating since its fiscal year started Oct. 1.

They investigated 12 workplace deaths in their district last fiscal year, Montgomery said.

FIRST REPORT

A contract worker who died Wednesday afternoon after he fell from a roof at Bethany Lutheran Village has been identified.

The Montgomery County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as Mark A. French, 54, of Dayton.

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Medics and fire crews were dispatched around 1 p.m. to the facility at 6445 Far Hills Ave. on reports of an injury where a man fell from a roof on which he was working, according to Centerville police.

Police would not name the man’s employer, and said the 35 residents are safe.

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“We wanted to make sure we got the information out that this does not involve any residents,” Centerville police officer John Davis said.

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