Axarquía village councillor's father dies in work-related accident

112 incident

The 61-year-old man died after falling down a stairwell at a construction site on Thursday

Eugenio Cabezas and Isabel Méndez

Malaga

A councillor's father in the Axarquía village of Alfarnatejo died in a workplace accident on Thursday, the causes of which are under investigation.

This is the sixth such accident this year in the province of Malaga.

Jorge Camacho Luque, 61, died after accidentally falling down a stairwell at a building construction site in Colmenar. He was a well-known construction worker in Alfarnatejo.

He had a wife and two children, one of whom is local councillor Iván Rafael Camacho. He was also the brother of municipal employee José Antonio Camacho Luque.

The accident occurred at around 4pm. According to sources, Jorge fell several metres down a stairwell and suffered a severe head injury.

Emergency medical personnel, the Guardia Civil and the Local Police arrived at the scene. An ambulance urgently transported the man to a hospital in Malaga. Despite the doctors' efforts, however, he died five hours after the accident.

The labour inspectorate has opened an investigation to clarify the exact circumstances of the accident and to determine whether all required workplace safety measures were in place at the construction site.

The death of Jorge Camacho has caused immense grief in Alfarnatejo. The small village of just 400 inhabitants has declared Friday a day of official mourning.

The town hall has also conveyed "support and deepest condolences" to the family and loved ones of the deceased. "Today is a very sad day for everyone. All of Alfarnatejo shares your grief. Rest in peace," the town hall said.

At 12pm on Monday, 25 May, the residents will hold a minute of silence at the doors of the town hall.

The worker's death has also stirred the residents of nearby municipalities. Neighbouring town halls such as Periana and Alfarnate have expressed their condolences to the family.

Other recent tragedies

This is not the first time in recent years that Alfarnatejo has experienced a tragedy directly impacting a family with ties to the municipal government.

In May 2022, Miguel Rodríguez, 82, father of former councillor María Teresa Rodríguez died when his car plunged into a ravine on a cherry orchard near the A-4152 road.

That accident also left two other people injured. Given the small size of the population, these incidents shock the entire village.

Thursday's fatal workplace accident has once again brought the issue of accidents in the construction sector into sharp focus, particularly at construction sites, where falls remain one of the main risks for workers.