Steel cylinder from Pitt construction site crushes woman

The woman was an employee at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, a spokesperson for UPMC confirmed.

The woman was an employee at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, a spokesperson for UPMC confirmed.

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The woman was an employee at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital, a spokesperson for UPMC confirmed.

A woman died after a steel cylinder rolled down a hill from a construction site in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood and struck her Friday, police said.

Watch the report by Pittsburgh's Action News 4 reporter Mike Valente in Oakland: Click the video above

Pittsburgh police and EMS were called to the 3700 block of Terrace Street near Petersen Events Center around 10:40 a.m.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office said Aleia Lopez, 51, of Pittsburgh's North Side, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A spokesperson for UPMC confirmed that the woman, who police said suffered a head injury, was an employee at UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital.

Witnesses told authorities the woman was walking with colleagues when a large steel cylinder broke free from the University of Pittsburgh's Victory Heights construction site.

In a statement, UPMC said, "We are saddened by this tragic incident. Our immediate concern is the well-being of our employees, patients and visitors. While this was not a UPMC construction site, this tragedy impacts our campuses and we are providing support services to our employees. Our deepest sympathies are with the victim's family, friends and colleagues."

Action News Investigates looks at companies involved in construction project: Watch the report by Paul Van Osdol in the video above

The construction site is a joint venture between Gilbane and Massaro.

Officials told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 that the cylinder rolled down a hill at the site, through a fence and struck the woman, coming to rest against a pickup truck.

A registered nurse who was near the scene attempted to administer CPR but was unsuccessful.

Emily Bourne with Pittsburgh Public Safety says the woman was declared dead within a minute of medical arrival.

The construction manager on the project released the following statement:

“We are working closely with authorities to investigate this tragic incident involving one of our subcontractors. We’re grateful to the first responders for their swift actions at the site.

“We are deeply saddened by today’s events and our hearts go out to the family of the individual impacted by this incident.”

The following statement on behalf of Costa Contracting was released by attorney Dennis Blackwell:

With heavy hearts, Costa Contracting wishes to extend their deepest condolences to the family of the woman who lost her life today, Our thoughts and prayers are with her family during this profoundly difficult time. Costa Contracting is committed to a full investigation to determine the factors that led to this event. Safety remains our paramount concern and we are working with OSHA and local authorities to understand precisely what occurred. At this time, we respect the privacy of the family and ask that others do the same. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

The University of Pittsburgh released the following statement about the incident:

“Earlier today, a pedestrian was fatally injured near a construction site in the vicinity of DeSoto Street and Terrace Street. The individual is not a current student or employee of the University of Pittsburgh. No other injuries have been reported and no additional details are available at this time. The City of Pittsburgh and Occupational Safety and Health Administration will lead the investigation with the full support of the University. We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the victim. Resources are available to support University of Pittsburgh community members, including Life Solutions and the University Counseling Center."

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