Worker Killed at SpaceX Starbase After Improperly Secured Beam Collapses

A 25-year-old contract worker died at SpaceX's Starbase facility in South Texas on May 15, 2026, after a metal beam weighing nearly four tons came loose and pulled him from a scissor lift to the concrete floor below. The incident marks the first reported workplace fatality at Starbase and the second in SpaceX's history.

According to news reports, the worker was employed by Delta Fabrication & Machine and was part of a crew performing early-morning renovation work inside a building being modified to store SpaceX's Starship rocket. His brother was among the coworkers present at the time of the accident.

What Happened

The worker, who was positioned on a scissor lift that had been raised to a height of approximately 40 to 50 feet, was attached to a nearby structural beam with a harness and strap. That beam—approximately 58 feet tall and weighing about 7,770 pounds—suddenly tilted and collapsed, pulling the worker violently from the lift. During the fall, he struck the metal beam before landing on the concrete floor. The collapse also caused the scissor lift to tip over, according to the Cameron County Sheriff Office’s report.

A site foreman told investigators he believed the worker may have assumed the beam was securely anchored because anchor bolts had already been installed on it. The senior superintendent on site said he was unaware of any prior safety reprimands involving the worker.

Worker’s Death Ruled an Accident; OSHA Investigation Ongoing

SpaceX security was notified approximately four minutes after the incident, which occurred just after 4 a.m. Central Time. Emergency personnel responded to the scene, and the worker was transported to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, where he was pronounced dead at 5:15 a.m. A preliminary autopsy found the cause of death to be blunt force trauma.

The Cameron County Sheriff's Office ruled the death an accident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is also investigating and has up to six months to complete its review.

Past OSHA Citations

OSHA has previously cited Delta Fabrication for safety violations, including once in connection with a worker death at an Alabama site in 2021.

SpaceX has faced broader workplace safety scrutiny in recent years. OSHA issued the company seven citations classified as "serious" last year, including allegations that a crane requiring repairs was put back into use without proper inspection. Those violations carried a penalty of $115,850, which SpaceX is currently contesting.

At Arnold & Itkin, our thoughts are with the worker’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Our firm is dedicated to securing justice on behalf of workers who are severely injured or killed on the job, as well as pursuing accountability from those at fault for such devastating incidents.