New York Real Estate Agent With Philly Ties Killed by Flying Plywood Fencing

A construction site at 175 West 12th Street in Greenwich Village has been shut down indefinitely after a 4-foot-by-8-foot piece of plywood blew off of its surrounding security fence and killed a woman walking on the street. Police say that Tina Nguyen, 37, a New York-based real estate agent with Keller Williams, was talking on her phone around 5:50 p.m. Tuesday evening when heavy winds sent the board hurtling across the street. It struck Nguyen with such force that it threw her into the wall of a parking garage. She was later pronounced dead at 9:12 p.m. at Bellevue Hospital Center.

According to The New York Times, the New York City Buildings Department issued Environmental Control Board violations to contractor Turner Construction for “failure to safeguard the property and for failing to provide plans for its construction fence.” A spokesperson for Turner said that “safety on or around our job sites is always our No. 1 priority.” Turner is cooperating with authorities and the construction site, a 200-unit condo complex called Greenwich Lane, has had numerous “serious” building violations, according to the New York Daily News:

The property owners, along with mega-builder Turner Construction and other contractors, have been whacked with 11 serious code violations since 2012 — including complaints about falling debris, the Buildings Department said.

Nguyen, who’s full name is Tram Thuy Nguyen, moved to New York from Philadelphia eight months ago and most recently worked with Keller Williams NYC. Nguyen was set to marry her fiancé, Alex Beitler, in July. He issued a heartbreaking statement through a friend:

“She always saw the best in everyone … She was always reminding me to see the same. We were together for five of the best years of our lives. We planned to be married in July of this year. The family and I have decided to bury her in Philadelphia.”

• Wind-Blown Plywood Kills Woman in Greenwich Village [The New York Times]

• PHILADELPHIA WOMAN KILLED BY FLYING PLYWOOD IN NEW YORK CITY [6abc]