Family of dead worker decides not to sue city

The family of a worker who fell to his death while installing a billboard — after urban patrol officers removed his ladder — has no plans to sue the city government, a source close to the matter said.

Ou Xiangbin, 30, died on Jan 23 after plummeting from the roof of a three-story building in Zhengzhou, Henan province, where he and his colleague Zhou Zhixiong had just set up a billboard.

Before the tragedy, urban patrol officers — better known as chengguan — had spotted the structure and ordered the two men to take it down, as it was unauthorized. They also took away the workers’ ladder and tricycle.

Zhou was quoted by Beijing News as saying Ou couldn’t stand the cold on the roof and attempted to climb down using a rope, but he fell to the ground. He died later in hospital.

Hu Shengshu, head of Kouqian village, where Ou is from, told China Daily he represented the dead man’s family during negotiations with authorities. He said that as of Thursday they had received 1 million yuan ($159,000) in compensation.

The city’s urban management bureau reportedly paid 700,000 yuan, while the company that placed the billboard order contributed 100,000 yuan. Hu said Ou’s employer, Liu Qin, who runs a printing and advertising shop, has given about half of the 430,000 yuan he is expected to pay the family.

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