A 25-year-old Donna man has died following a workplace accident at SpaceX Starbase, according to Cameron County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2, Place 3, Mary Sorola.
Officials identified the victim as José Bautista, 25, of Donna, who was pronounced deceased at 5:15 a.m. Friday at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville.
According to medical staff, Bautista suffered fatal injuries after falling approximately eight feet from a scaffold while working at the SpaceX facility.
A preliminary autopsy report determined the cause of death to be blunt force trauma resulting from the fall, officials said.
The City of Starbase confirmed that a workplace fatality occurred and released a statement extending condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones. City officials also noted that SpaceX operations and workplace matters fall outside the city’s jurisdiction and deferred further inquiries to SpaceX, the contracting company involved, and appropriate authorities.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances surrounding the fatal fall.
The tragic incident has left family, friends, and coworkers mourning the sudden loss of a young worker whose life ended on the job.
