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OSHA investigates woman's death at West Palm Beach high-rise condo under construction

Dolores Yamileth Martinez-Ponce fell from the 13th floor of La Clara condominium site
Dolores Yamileth Martinez-Ponce, died after falling from West Palm Beach condo on May 28, 2022
Posted at 4:33 PM, May 31, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-31 17:17:57-04

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is looking into any potential hazards that may have caused a young mother to fall to her death from a luxury high-rise building in downtown West Palm Beach.

Investigators from OSHA on Tuesday were at the construction site of the La Clara condominium located at 1515 S. Flagler Drive.

Their visit comes three days after a 23-year-old woman fell from the 13th floor while installing flooring Saturday morning.

La Clara condominium, site of Dolores Yamileth Martinez-Ponce death on May 28, 2022
The La Clara condominium is currently under construction in downtown West Palm Beach.

Officials said Dolores Yamileth Martinez-Ponce was found dead on the second-floor landing of the building.

According to the West Palm Beach police department, Martinez-Ponce worked for Jovavesa Corp., a Miami-based subcontractor.

Condolences for Martinez-Ponce have been pouring in from across South Florida and Honduras.

Dolores Yamileth Martinez-Ponce, died after falling from West Palm Beach condo on May 28, 2022
Dolores Yamileth Martinez-Ponce of Miami-Dade County died May 28, 2022, after falling from the 13th floor of a West Palm Beach luxury condominium that is under construction.

According to a social media post from Instituto Gubernamental Técnico Abelardo R. Fortín, Martinez-Ponce attended the school in Tegucigalpa and moved to Miami for a better life to support her young son.

Police said Martinez-Ponce lived in the Allapattah neighborhood of Miami.

According to OSHA, 5,333 workers died on the job in 2019 with one-in-five being in construction.