Danbury man killed in Bethany barn collapse

A Danbury man died Thursday, trapped under debris at a nearly-collapsed barn in Bethany, according to a State Police report.

Joister Pacheco-Attaide, 38, of Pahquioque Avenue in Danbury, was one of the workers striving to restore the barn at 81 Litchfield Turnpike on Thursday morning. But around 8:40 a.m., the barn started to collapse and first responders were called.

When they got there, Pacheco-Attaide was “trapped under debris,” the report said. Fire and medical personnel were able to get to him amid the rubble, only to find he already had died as a result of his injuries.

His body was recovered from the remnants of the barn and taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, according to Bethany’s Resident State Trooper David Merriam. The cause of death has not yet been determined.

The remainder of the structure was knocked down and “made safe” later Thursday, the state police report said.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was called in to investigate the death since it was a workplace incident.

The incident remains under investigation by OSHA, state police and town building officials.

Although state police did not reveal what contractor the man worked for, WFSB reported it was Hogan’s Handyman Services.

WFSB reported the company was hired to replace roofing, remove excess materials, restore the structure of the barn and replace windows. An employee called the incident heartbreaking in an interview with WFSB.

The 2.2-acre property is listed for sale, according to www.realtor.com. In addition to the barn, the site has a 2,615-square-foot house and separate stone outbuilding, the listing says.