One construction worker is dead, and another was injured after falling through the roof of Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary-Middle School on Detroit’s west side last Wednesday morning.

A spokesperson for the Detroit Fire Department said that the workers fell through the roof two stories into the basement; the cause of the incident remains under investigation. Teachers and students didn’t witness the fall, and they were unaware of what happened until after the fact, police said.

"I got a text from my daughter around 10:21 this morning and the text actually was a screenshot of a news report that one person had died here and another was injured," Ronald Foster, a city resident who has a middle school student at Bethune, told WXYZ-TV. 

"Upon arriving, I noticed plenty of police cars up here, a lot of presence. All the kids were evacuated which I think was good. They was lined up appropriately. They were pretty much getting everybody out of the school."

Foster told the local reporter that his daughter and others were visibly shaken by the news. He added that he hopes the district will provide support for students as they return to the building.

The Detroit Public Schools Community District released the following statement about the incident:

"[On Wednesday] at Bethune Elementary a contractor’s employee passed away after falling while repairing the building’s damper. Another contractor employee was also injured. The authorities are conducting an investigation into the cause of the accident. Students were isolated from the accident and were not involved. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the contractors and their employees and their families. School was dismissed early to avoid distractions to staff and students and allow authorities space and time to address the accident."