GGRAsia – Galaxy Macau construction pause amid worker fatalities

Galaxy Macau construction pause amid worker fatalities

Mar 25, 2020 Newsdesk Latest News, Macau, Top of the deck

The Macau government has ordered suspension of activity at a worksite for Phase 3 expansion of the casino resort Galaxy Macau, pending an investigation, after three people died and four were injured in an incident there on Tuesday.

The city’s Labour Affairs Bureau confirmed the tally of dead and injured and the worksite suspension.

The city’s police authorities confirmed the event occurred on a worksite of Phase 3 at Galaxy Macau, the Cotai flagship casino resort (pictured) of Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. The police said the location was close to Gate Number 2 on the site, at Avenida Cidade Nova on Cotai. Galaxy Macau is currently being expanded, via development of what is known as Phase 3 and Phase 4 of the complex.

A statement released by the Macau government said the incident happened on Tuesday afternoon. The seven workers from mainland China were clearing some articles in a lift shaft on the site, when some scaffolding collapsed and fell onto those workers.

Galaxy Entertainment said in a statement emailed to GGRAsia: “Galaxy Entertainment would like to express our deepest regrets over the accident, and extend our most heartfelt sympathies to the workers and their family members.”

“After the incident, Galaxy Entertainment has taken all necessary actions and fully cooperated with the authorities to carry out rescue work and investigation,” the firm added. “Galaxy Entertainment has tasked the contractor to conduct a thorough review of all safety measures on the construction site and ensure all related rules and regulations are strictly abided by all relevant parties. Since the case is under police investigation, no further information can be provided at this stage.”

The firm is currently doing construction at Galaxy Macau including work on Phase 3. The casino operator had mentioned in a February statement that it was aiming at a first-half 2021 launch for a portion of Phase 3 of its Galaxy Macau casino resort, notwithstanding disruption linked to the outbreak of a novel coronavirus.

Phase 3 of Galaxy Macau is to feature 1,500 hotel rooms, some casino space, a large-scale arena with 16,000 seats, and 400,000 square feet (37,161 sq metres) of MICE space. The company announced in early November that it planned to open an Andaz hotel, a brand of Hyatt Hotels Corp, as part of the property’s expansion.