UPDATED: Violation of safety rules named as possible reason behind death of two workers in Tbilisi

Updated: 16:41

A violation of safety standards has been named as a possible reason behind the death of two workers in central Tbilisi late yesterday by the employees of the Georgian Health Ministry Work Inspection Department.

No evaluation of risks or possible threats have tad place which is likely to have caused the fatality, preliminary studies show this,” Maia Mikadze from the Health Ministry stated.

She said details will be available after the department completes is study.

The Transmshen Company, which is constructing a hospital on Chavchavadze 5 where the workers died after a sinkhole opened up, claims that it had hired a company which was responsible for safety issues.

The construction company says that the workers were also hired by the contractor company.

Transmshen says that it is ready to cooperate with law enforcers.

Earlier: 11:33

Two workers died after a sinkhole opened up during construction on a hospital on Chavchavadze Avenue, central Tbilisi late yesterday.

The body of the first worker, 26-year-old David Avesadze, was found shortly after the incident, at 8 pm yesterday.

The body of another missing worker, 40-year-old Edvard Varishiv, was sought for more than eight hours by rescue workers.

The construction process has been suspended.

An investigation is now trying to clarify the reasons behind the incident.

Human Rights Monitoring and Education Centre says that between 2011 and 2018, 376 workers died and 1,081 received injuries at their workplace.

Last year alone 199 individuals received injuries and 59 died at their workplaces.