Tributes paid to killed Crossrail worker

The worker, who was killed after an incident last Friday, has been named by police as Slovakian national Rene Tkacik, 43, who was a specialist concrete sprayer.

Crossrail said Tkacik was killed by a falling slab from the tunnel’s ceiling at the project’s Fisher Street site in Holborn, central London.

He is first worker to die on the £15bn project.

Crossail confirmed that Tkacik was employed by Bam Nuttall, Ferrovial, Kier (BFK), the main contractor on the site.

According to the Evening Standard, Tkacik moved to east London from the Spanish coastal town of San Sebastian in March last year.

A colleague told the newspaper: “When we started work on the Crossrail project we were constantly reminded about our obligation to our fellow workers that everyone has a right to return home safely.

“Rene didn’t get to go home last Friday to his loved ones, his wife, his family.”

The worker, who saw Tkacik the day before he died, added: “He was a quiet, kind, hard-working true gentleman who carried out his work with honesty and integrity.”

Another construction worker told the Evening Standard: “They have as few people at the face as possible. But he shouldn’t have been there and that’s why there has been such a fuss over this.

“It’s very sad. He was just a nice, quiet family man.”

Another worker said: “Everyone down here is obviously very upset by the whole thing. Some of the site is still sealed off while they investigate.”

Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail chief executive said: “Everyone who works on Crossrail has been affected by this terrible incident. Our thoughts and sympathies are with our worker’s family and colleagues, who have been offered support and counselling.

“A full investigation is being undertaken, and we are working closely with the Health and Safety Executive and our industry partners to understand precisely how this incident happened

“Safety has always been, and continues to be, the number one value for Crossrail and critical to the success of the programme. There is nothing so important on Crossrail that is cannot be done safely. We continue to strive to make our sites as safe as possible, improve standards across the industry and to hand it back healthier and safer than it was at the beginning.

“The last few days have only increased that resolve.”