Local News
Victims Identified in Fatal Scaffolding Collapse at Port Arthur LNG Site in Sabine Pass
SABINE PASS, Texas — Three construction workers lost their lives and two others sustained injuries following a scaffolding collapse early Tuesday morning at the Port Arthur LNG construction site in Sabine Pass.
Officials have identified the deceased workers as Reggie McGee, Felix Lopez and Felipe Mendez.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:00 a.m. on April 29 at the large-scale industrial site operated by Bechtel, the engineering, procurement, and construction contractor for the project.
Sempra Infrastructure, one of the developers behind the LNG facility, confirmed the incident in a statement and noted that an immediate work stoppage was implemented across the site.
According to Bechtel, the collapse involved a “tank jump form system” at elevation.
The failure led to multiple workers falling, with two pronounced dead at the scene.
A third worker, a 41-year-old man from Houston, suffered cardiac arrest and later died at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont, according to Jefferson County Precinct One Justice of the Peace Ben Collins Sr.
Two additional workers were injured in the collapse but have since been treated and released from the hospital, Sempra Infrastructure confirmed.
Captain Crystal Holmes of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office stated that a failure within the scaffolding system caused the workers to fall.
She confirmed that only three individuals fell to the ground. It remains unclear whether the workers were wearing fall protection gear at the time of the incident.
A visual assessment of the site from Texas Highway 82 revealed a concrete tank surrounded by three levels of scaffolding.
A section estimated to be between 8 to 12 feet in length from each level appeared to have detached and now hangs at a 45-degree angle.
Nearby, a rigging strap remains loosely affixed to the hook block of a tower crane, swaying in the wind—a detail investigators are examining for its possible role in the collapse.
Authorities are exploring whether a falling load may have struck the scaffolding or if the incident stemmed from a rigging or structural failure.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a formal investigation, which will include a comprehensive review of the equipment, site procedures, and any potential violations. The results will be released upon completion of the investigation.
Bechtel and Sempra Infrastructure have both issued statements expressing condolences to the families of the victims and affirming their commitment to the safety and wellbeing of all personnel. “We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident,” said a Bechtel spokesperson. “Our thoughts are with the families and our colleagues who have been affected.”
“All work at the site was immediately halted, and craft professionals were sent home to be with their families during this difficult time,” Bechtel added. Sempra echoed that work will remain suspended while the incident is under investigation.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation in coordination with Bechtel and relevant regulatory agencies. Captain Holmes noted that the investigative process would be “slow and methodical” to ensure all factors contributing to the collapse are fully understood.
Port Arthur LNG is a joint venture between Sempra Infrastructure and ConocoPhillips.
Construction at the site has been ongoing for several years as part of a broader effort to expand U.S. liquefied natural gas export capacity.
Bechtel emphasized that their top priority remains supporting the impacted families and ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to understand the cause of the incident and prevent future tragedies.
UPDATE: Search efforts have been suspended following the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean off the coast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, marking another tragic loss for the city’s historic fishing community.
The U.S. Coast Guard was alerted early Friday morning by the vessel’s emergency beacon after it activated in the water; no mayday call was received.
Responders located a debris field, an unoccupied life raft, and one deceased individual in the water.
Six other crew members remain missing and are presumed lost after an extensive air and sea search yielded no additional results.
The Coast Guard cited frigid water temperatures, challenging weather conditions, and the vast search area in its decision to suspend operations.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Authorities have identified all seven individuals who lost their lives after the commercial fishing vessel Lily Jean sank approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, early Friday morning, marking a devastating loss for Gloucester’s historic fishing community.
The Lily Jean, a commercial fishing vessel measuring between 72 and 80 feet in length and homeported in Gloucester—the nation’s oldest working fishing port—activated its emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) at approximately 6:50 a.m. Friday while returning to port.
No mayday call was received, and subsequent attempts to contact the vessel were unsuccessful.
The U.S. Coast Guard immediately launched a large-scale search and rescue operation, deploying an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and multiple surface assets to the area of the distress signal.
Crews located a debris field and an unoccupied life raft roughly 25 miles offshore near the EPIRB activation site, confirming the vessel had sunk to the ocean floor. One deceased individual was recovered from the water.
The remaining six crew members were later presumed lost after extensive search efforts yielded no additional results.
Officials confirmed that seven people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident, revising earlier reports that indicated six.
The seven individuals who perished aboard the Lily Jean are:
- John Paul Rousanidis, 33, of Salem/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Sean Therrien, 44, of Lynn/Peabody, Massachusetts
- Freeman Short, of the Marshfield/Scituate area
- Captain Gus Sanfilippo, a well-known and respected Gloucester fisherman
- Paul Beal Sr., deckhand
- Paul Beal Jr., deckhand and son of Paul Beal Sr.
- Jada Samitt, 22, of Virginia
Jada Samitt, the seventh crew member identified, was serving aboard the vessel in the role of a federal fisheries observer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). She had recently relocated to Massachusetts to pursue her passion for environmental biology, graduating last year. Family members said joining the Lily Jean crew was her first major professional role at sea and a lifelong dream.
Her aunt, Heather Michaels, described Samitt as a compassionate and driven young woman who deeply respected her captain and dedicated herself fully to her work. “She put her heart and soul into this opportunity,” family members said, noting her commitment to marine conservation and the fishing community.
Officials said the Lily Jean had reported taking on water shortly before contact was lost.
The vessel is now presumed fully submerged.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through Gloucester’s close-knit maritime community.
Ashley Sullivan, a local business owner who knew the vessel’s owner, emphasized the daily risks faced by commercial fishermen. “I hope people really take a moment to understand the sacrifices these men and women make to put food on our tables,” she said. “This is heartbreaking.”
Massachusetts State Senator Bruce Tarr also expressed condolences, highlighting Gloucester’s deep fishing heritage. “Gloucester has a long fishing history, and that history includes tragic loss,” Tarr said. “It appears we are experiencing another of those painful chapters.”
Governor Maura Healey released a statement saying she was “heartbroken over the devastating news out of Gloucester,” adding that her administration has offered full assistance to local officials and the Coast Guard. She extended prayers to the victims’ families and the broader fishing community across Cape Ann and the Commonwealth.
Community members and local businesses have continued to share messages of remembrance and solidarity. Taylor Hunt, a relative of Freeman Short, posted a tribute honoring the crew, writing in part: “The salt has been in our blood for generations… A man is not lost while the sea remembers his name. Fair winds and following seas.”
The Lily Jean had previously been featured on the History Channel series Nor’Easter Men, which documented the dangers and demands of New England’s commercial fishing industry.
While search operations have concluded, the Coast Guard and relevant agencies continue to review the circumstances surrounding the sinking. Officials have stated that further updates will be released as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have urged the public to keep the victims’ families and Gloucester’s fishing community in their thoughts and prayers during this period of profound loss.