A Santa Maria man died Sunday after being hospitalized with a back injury from a construction accident in San Luis Obispo last month.

Alejandro Becerra, 53, a framer for Luker Framing and General Construction died of natural causes, according to a San Luis Obispo County sheriff's-coroner report. Workers from the Santa Maria-based company were erecting a commercial building in the 3500 block of Broad Street Oct. 26 when the construction accident occurred and injured four people.

“He did not die because of the accident,” said Sheriff's Sgt. Brian Hascall.

Becerra apparently died of previous diabetes and heart conditions, Hascall said, quoting a medical report signed by the coroner.

Becerra was taken to French Hospital Medical Center with a broken back and was later transferred to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center where he died shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday, said hospital spokesman Ron Yukelson.

More than a week earlier, 12 workers from Luker Framing were erecting an

8-foot tall wall frame that, for unknown reasons, lost balance and tipped over on four workers, according to a San Luis Obispo fire official.

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Three of the four workers, whose names were not released, suffered mostly cuts and scrapes. Becerra was the only one to be hospitalized.

Gary Mayhugh, safety director for Luker Framing, did not return phone calls seeking comment Wednesday, but a relative said the company is close to the family and is assisting with funeral arrangements at Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary & Crematory.

Because a worker was injured on the job, the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration was notified.

Since Becerra's death, the investigation has not changed except for its classification, said Cal-OSHA spokesman Dean Fryer.

The investigation, which typically takes two to three months, will be looking for possible state code violations that may have led to the accident, Fryer said.

If found at fault, the company may face a fine ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, he said.

Luis Ernesto Gomez can be reached at 739-2218, or lgomez@santamariatimes.com

Nov. 9, 2006