Crossrail man Rene Tkacik 'crushed to death by concrete'

Rene Tkacik, of Hackney Road, east London, was a "hugely experienced" worker, the inquest heard

A construction worker was crushed to death as nearly a tonne of wet concrete poured on him, an inquest has heard.

Rene Tkacik, 44, was working on a Crossrail site in Holborn, central London, on 7 March 2014 when the accident happened.

He lay unconscious for 15 minutes before medical staff arrived, St Pancras Coroner's Court heard.

Mr Tkacik, of Hackney Road, east London, was a "hugely experienced" worker, the court heard.

He had been working in the UK to earn money to send home to his family in Slovakia so he could pay for his daughter Esther to go to university, a statement from his wife Renata said.

The jury was shown a digital reconstruction of the 80ft (24m) deep tunnel in Fisher Street, Holborn, where Mr Tkacic was killed.

Family 'priority'

The tunnel was so deep it took an emergency team six minutes to reach him from ground level, the court heard.

Investigating officer Cavin McGrath said: "It was just under a tonne of concrete that came down, which is the equivalent of a bag of building sand."

The statement read to the jury from Mr Tkacik's wife said he was a highly experienced construction worker, who did not drink and put his family first.

"His family was his first priority," it said.

When Mr McGrath was asked if there were any rope or chains in front of the exclusion zone at the time of the accident, he replied: "There was not."

No-one is facing prosecution for the death, the officer confirmed.

A report from the medical attendant who was at the scene, stated Mr Tkacik had died from "blunt force trauma to the head and chest".