Man dies in construction accident at Kaisaniemi Park in Helsinki

A tragic accident occurred at a construction site adjacent to Kaisaniemi Park in Helsinki on Saturday evening, resulting in the death of a man who fell into a trench. The incident took place at the end of Vuorikatu on Puutarhakujalla. A police report was filed on Sunday, but authorities have yet to confirm whether foul play is suspected.

The construction site is involved in a private drainage renovation, occurring concurrently with the park’s redevelopment, according to Elina Airaksinen, team leader for the city’s urban environment, via email. Airaksinen noted that the city was not involved in the planning of the drainage project and that no separate excavation permit had been submitted to the city, which would have triggered specific safety regulations.

An inspector visited the site on Monday and apparently deemed the current safety arrangements appropriate. Airaksinen mentioned that the city is unaware of any prior complaints about the site, where hundreds of excavation projects are ongoing.

Jukkapekka Risu, the lead investigator from Helsinki police, stated that they are awaiting input from the regional administrative authority concerning whether the fencing at the site was adequate. Reports suggest that there was a half-meter gap in the fencing at the time of the incident. The investigation is currently focused on determining the cause of death.

The contractor of the site is Terrawise, and their CEO Tuomas Saarinen declined to comment further. The chairman of the housing association also refrained from commenting due to the ongoing investigation. A local caretaker noted that workers are usually present during weekdays, but the site is often empty on weekends, raising concerns about safety compliance. An eyewitness reported a gap between the construction fence and a wall at the time of the accident.