METHUEN — A roofer fell to his death and another worker was injured while working on an unoccupied, two-story house on Annis Street yesterday afternoon.
John Nadeau, 43, of 40 Danbury Drive, Methuen, was dead on arrival at Lawrence General Hospital.
Michael Larochelle, 36, of 2 Nightingale Court, Lawrence, also was taken to Lawrence General Hospital, but airlifted to New England Medical Center in Boston. His condition was unavailable last night.
Police said there was a three-man crew from the 3ML Construction Co. of Lawrence working on the house at 28 Annis St. when they received 911 calls about two men falling off a roof at 1:47 p.m.
The company is registered to a Lisa Larochelle, who is listed on state incorporation papers as the president, treasurer, secretary and director.
Methuen police, state police and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating, said police Lt. Greg Gallant.
Police described the fall as an accident in a press release.
The house, just off Broadway in the city's Arlington neighborhood, is listed on the Century 21 Web site as a two-family that's for sale for $249,900.
Juan Ortega, the real estate agent, said the home is vacant and is being renovated. The owner, Carlos Cortez, is in the Dominican Republic, Ortega said.
Ortega said he didn't know who was working there, but he said the roof needed to be replaced.
Three ladders leading up to the steep A-frame roof rested against the side of the light purple and yellow two-story house while an investigator from OSHA and police officers were at the site yesterday afternoon. There were platforms attached to the roof, which roofers could stand on. Yellow police tape blocked the two entrances to the property.
OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald said OSHA will look at the work that was being done and determine what safety standards apply and whether they were complied with by the workers' employer.
