BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — Denver Water announced that recreation at Gross Reservoir will remain closed following a fatal construction incident.
The Boulder County Coroner’s Office has released the identity of the slain man, 28-year-old Matthew Liu.
On June 18, emergency responders arrived at the site of the Gross Reservoir Expansion Project after a worker saw the headlights of a construction truck roll over the embankment near the dam.
Colorado State Patrol believe a worker driving a heavy truck got too close to the reservoir and arrived. The recovery mission turned into a rescue mission.
Divers were able to locate Liu’s body and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Denver Water, Liu was a civil engineer with six years of experience.
The reservoir will remain closed for several weeks while crews work to remove the equipment from the water. Crews will inspect the area to ensure resources are able to extract heavy equipment while having the least impact on the tank.
The Denver Water CEO and Director released a statement on the incident:
This incident will have a lasting impact on all of us. We send our thoughts to the friends and family of the engineer who tragically lost his life and recognize that the road will be long for many, especially our extended family in Kiewit Barnard.
We now ask for the patience of the public as our contractor works to safely remove the vehicle from the tank and for all parties involved to fully investigate and make the necessary changes to ensure another accident like this. this does not happen again.
Jim Lochhead, CEO and Director of Denver Water
Denver Water asks the public to avoid the area while crews remove equipment.
