Construction worker dies at EGR park

EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A 49-year-old construction worker died after an accident on the scene of a public park project Thursday.

The accident happened around 2:30 p.m. at Waterfront Park, on Reeds Lake Boulevard in East Grand Rapids.

Police say the victim is William John Ryan. He was an employee of Flotation Docking Systems, out of Cedarville, located in the Upper Peninsula. Preliminary autopsy results are inconclusive and there are no signs of electrocution, which was believed to be the cause of death when it happened. Investigators continue to look at the equipment, but say the death is either natural causes or accidental.

Ryan was arc welding two pieces of docking together by their railings when the accident happened, said Capt. Brian Williams, with the East Grand Rapids Department of Public Safety.

Ryan was working alongside two co-workers when they noticed a commotion, and then the collapse of him. The co-workers tried to revive Ryan, but couldn't. Emergency responders also tried to revive him but were unsuccessful.