A young tradie who moved to Australia for a better life has tragically died following a fall at a construction site in Brisbane, leaving his family desperate for answers.
Miikael “Mikey” Varuhin, a 32-year-old Finnish construction worker, fell approximately four metres through scaffolding at a development in Clayfield, Brisbane, on Easter Monday. He suffered a catastrophic brain injury and was declared brain dead later that night.
Family’s grief and search for answers
Varuhin had relocated to Brisbane seven years ago and had made the city his home. “He made Brisbane his home and he wanted to build his life here and eventually have a family,” his sister Anniina told 7NEWS. She recalled being informed of the accident: “They told me initially he had a devastating brain injury and he had fallen off scaffolding.”
His family flew to Australia to say their goodbyes. In his final act, Varuhin donated his organs, potentially saving up to five lives. “He was the kind of person, he always wanted to help others,” his sister added.
Investigation underway
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is now investigating the incident. 7NEWS understands that Varuhin had raised concerns about the scaffolding on the day of the fall and had sent a photo from his phone. “This is an injustice what happened — no one should go to work and never come back,” Anniina said.
Lawyer Scott Keft from Maurice Blackburn noted that the family could face a long wait for answers. “It is a very tragic situation where a young man has lost his life during the course of his work,” he said. “Where a person dies without having a spouse or partner or children, the compensation available is quite limited.”
The builder declined to respond to a request for comment.
