Worker falls to his death at Jamul casino site

A construction worker fell to his death Tuesday at the site where a controversial casino is being built on Jamul Indian Village land, authorities said.

He was reported to have fallen about 38 feet from a platform at the top of a man lift, sheriff’s Lt. Jim Walker said. The 56-year-old man appears to have died instantly, authorities said.

The accident was reported about 8:20 a.m. at the casino project on state Route 94/Campo Road south of Peaceful Valley Ranch Road, Cal Fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser said.

The man’s name was not released.

Sheriff’s deputies and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating the industrial accident.

The $360 million project includes a 3-story casino and 8-story parking garage on part of the 6.3-acre reservation. Many local residents, including county Supervisor Dianne Jacob, have opposed the project since the 1990s because of the scale of the buildings and impact on traffic along the rural, winding two-lane road.