Numerous injuries after collapse at Cincinnati Horseshoe Casino construction site, no fatalities

CINCINNATI - Several construction workers are being treated for injuries after they were hurt when a deck collapsed at the site of the Horseshoe Casino in Cincinnati Friday morning.

Police say construction workers were pouring concrete into a metal frame when the middle of the structure gave way around 8 a.m. at the site of the new casino at the corner of Gilbert Avenue and East Court Street. Officials say nine people were seriously injured in the accident and 10 to 15 people sustained minor injuries.

Cincinnati police say 11 people were transported to four area hospital. The injuries are not life threatening and all workers are accounted for, according to officials.

There are no fatalities as a result of the collapse, according to representatives with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which will follow up with the investigation of the accident.

The investigation will begin immediately to determine the cause of the accident, said Cincinnati City Manager Milton Dohoney. Ohio state inspectors are at the scene beginning their investigation.

Officials have shut down the intersection of East Gilbert Avenue and Court Street to traffic.

The Greyhound bus station located at 1005 Gilbert Avenue is set as a staging area for emergency vehicles.

Casino officials are on the scene and getting information from police.

All construction workers have been dismissed for the day.

The site has been secured and Rock Gaming LLC, which is developing the casino with Rock Ohio Caesars LLC, is joining the effort to investigate the cause of the accident. Rock Gaming LLC representatives say they will release more information at 11:30 a.m.

The floor of the parking garage collapsed at the Cleveland Horseshoe Casino last month. The Cleveland casino is also being developed by the Rock Gaming and Rock Ohio Caesars. No one was injured in that collapse.

Developers have not yet said if the accident will delay the casino's opening set for spring 2013.

The president of the Ohio Valley Associated Builders and Contractors, John Morris, issued a statement about the accident Friday morning and Messer Construction, which is heading the construction of the Horseshoe Casino project.

"Our heartfelt prayers go out to the injured workers and their families. Safety, avoiding injuries and accidents is the number one goal of our member companies; but unfortunately accidents do occasionally occur. We hope that the individuals hurt today rapidly recover and return to work in our industry," Morris said in a release. "Messer Construction is an outstanding construction firm, with a world class record of training and safety for their workers and projects. We are confident that they will quickly identify what occurred here, remedy the situation and continue to build Cincinnati an outstanding casino."

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