LOWELL >> Tragedy struck the Centralville neighborhood late Thursday morning when a construction worker fell to his death from the roof of a multifamily home being built at 73 Aiken Ave.

The three-story building with a gable roof is being constructed to replace a previous multifamily residence that was torn down after it was destroyed by a six-alarm fire last September.

Emergency radio broadcasts first reported a man had fallen from the roof at approximately 10:15 a.m. Moments later, a first responder requested crews to “step it up,” followed by a call to shut down traffic in the area.

Noel Andujar, who lives across the road on Ludlam Street, shared photos he took of the scene. The images showed a sheet raised to block the view and another covering the body of the deceased worker. The building is located at the intersection of Aiken Avenue, Ludlam Street, and Dalton Street. The body was positioned near the front of the home, along the Aiken Avenue side, lying on the gravel surrounding the fenced-in construction site.

Andujar said he did not witness the fall itself, but saw the aftermath from his home. He described a somber scene, with several people at the site visibly shaken — some crying, others consoling them.

“It was very sad,” Andujar said. “There are people who lost their family member today. I just feel very sad.”

By 3:30 p.m., emergency crews had cleared the scene. When The Sun approached a group of workers at the site, a man stepped forward and said no one would comment on the incident.

A truck bearing the logo of G. Mitchell & Associates, a general contractor based in Dracut, was parked at the location. A phone call placed to the company was not immediately returned.

The Lowell Police Department deferred comment to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, which was not immediately available to provide details about the incident.

The construction project began earlier this year following the demolition of the previous building, which had stood since 1890, according to city property records. That structure was ravaged by a six-alarm inferno on Sept. 12 that displaced 22 residents. Four firefighters and one resident were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the blaze.

While standing in his yard, Andujar reflected on both the fire and Thursday’s fatal fall, saying he is now convinced the property is cursed.

Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.