On Monday morning, a one-pound tape measure slipped from the waist belt of a construction worker on a Jersey City building project. The tape measure fell 400 feet before striking a 58-year-old man in the head, killing him.

The New York Times reports that the building under construction at 70 Christopher Columbus Drive is near completion. According to New York Post, the freak accident happened as a construction worker was preparing a wall for windows on the 50th floor of one of two residential towers being built.

Gary Anderson, the construction worker who died, had arrived at Christopher Columbus Drive just before 9 a.m. to deliver wallboard. Anderson parked his truck and stepped out of his vehicle without wearing a hard hat, Carly Baldwin, a spokeswoman for the Jersey City Department of Public Safety, told The New York Times.

The tape measure detached off a construction worker's belt at the top of the 50 story tower. As it fell, the tape measure hit a piece of metal equipment and was diverted toward Anderson. Anderson was struck in the head and immediately knocked unconscious. He was transported to Jersey City Medical Center where he died just before 10 a.m.

Work on the development project was suspended temporarily.

AJD Construction, the company working on the project, told investigators that its policy is for people on the construction site to wear safety helmets. It is unknown why Anderson did not wear a helmet.

The project includes the 70-90 Columbus Towers located at 70-90 Christopher Columbus Drive. It is Jersey City's newest development expected to open Fall 2015. It consists of two towers with 14,120 square feet of retail and restaurant space bordering the desirable neighborhoods of Paulus Hook, the Waterfront and Newport.

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