A crew member working on Marvel‘s latest TV series, Wonder Man, died on set after falling from an elevated catwalk in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.
The crew member, identified by the L.A. County coroner as 41-year-old Juan Carlos Osorio, was working as a rigger at Radford Studios in Studio City. (A rigger is someone who ensures heavy equipment, tools and other large or fragile objects can be safely lifted and transported from one place to another.)
Osorio, who was also known by the nickname “Spike,” reportedly died at the scene.
In a statement, a Marvel spokesperson confirmed that a crew member had died, but did not name Osorio.
“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with his family and friends, and our support is behind the investigation into the circumstances of this accident,” the statement read.
Wonder Man was not currently filming when Osorio died.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) said the organization was “shocked and deeply saddened” to hear of Osorio’s death.
In a social media statement that assured that safety is the top priority, IATSE said it is “working to support our member’s family and his fellow members and colleagues.”
A GoFundMe page was launched by a self-identified friend of Osorio to help his family pay for what may be “a long road fraught with attorney fees and expenses.” The page has already raised over US$105,000 (about C$141,450).
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Osorio’s death.
Wonder Man production is set to begin next month. Filming was delayed amid the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strikes last year.
The 10-episode Marvel series will tell the story of the supernaturally powerful comic book character Simon Williams (a.k.a. Wonder Man), who finds employment under villain Baron Zemo after losing an industrial contract to Tony Stark’s Stark Industries. Though Wonder Man is initially an enemy of the famed Avengers, he eventually teams up with the squad.
Wonder Man was created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest and will star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. It will premiere on streaming service Disney+.
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