The family of a construction worker killed by a collapsed cinder block wall in Pacoima last week is raising funds online to pay for his funeral.

“With heaviness in our hearts, Javier Calderon was involved in a tragic accident on 06/07/23 at his job where he lost his life,” says the GoFundMe campaign started by the victim’s daughter, Monica Calderon, one day after the fatality. With a goal of $100,000, the efforts had raised nearly $12,500 as of press time Wednesday. 

Javier Calderon, a resident of San Bernardino, died June 7 when a cinder block wall fell, trapping him under the rubble at the Pacoima construction site at 10505 Glenoaks Blvd. Two other male workers, ages 42 and 45, were hospitalized with minor injuries, the LAFD reported.

The Inspection Bureau of the LA Department of Building and Safety halted construction at the site except for work needed to restore support to adjacent properties.

A “Stop Work Order to Comply” was posted at the incident location last Thursday, listing municipal code violations by a company called 10505 Glenoaks Land LLC. 

The order read:

“The site conditions at the time of the inspections revealed that the earth work [sic] at the South East property line has created vertical cuts removing lateral support from the adjacent property which has created a hazardous condition resulting in the collapse of approximately a 40-foot section of a CMU wall,” reads the Building and Safety order. CMU stands for “concrete masonry units.” The order also adds that the “site conditions deviate from the approved Soils Report and the LADBS approved plans.” 

Furthermore, the order states that the site is also in violation of two additional LA Municipal Codes, 91.7005.7-8 on grading, excavations and fills, and 91.3307.3.1 on the protection of adjoining property.

A copy of the company’s LLC filing with the California Secretary of State describes 10505 Glenoaks Land’s business as a “real estate holding” with an official address in Los Angeles and a mailing address in San Fernando. Its chief executive officer is Hayghaz Amirian of San Fernando. He could not be reached for comment.

The Los Angeles Police Department and Cal-OSHA were notified of the construction accident and an investigation is underway.

On the GoFundMe page, the family said it was informed that the job site violated safety regulations. “This accident should have not happened,” reads the post. 

Javier was a native of Morales, Mexico and immigrated to the United States at age 14, according to an LA Times article. He was married and had five daughters and three grandchildren, according to the fundraising page.

The company 10505 Glenoaks LLC has been ordered to hire a geotechnical engineer to submit a soil and geological report recommending “corrective measures” to Building and Safety. 

Monica lashed out at the San Fernando company. On the GoFundMe page, she said that her father had promised his granddaughters to roast marshmallows last Friday before starting their customary weekend sleepover at their grandparents’ house. “However, because of the irresponsibility and negligence of the companies/contractors, etc., who sent him out to that job site expecting him to complete the job, he did not make it back home to his family,” she said.

Calderon added, “Please help us to put him to rest and bring justice to an event that shouldn’t have taken place.”

Those interested in contributing to the fundraising effort can visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/c9c4m-javier-calderon.