Tragedy on Netflix set: Worker’s fall exposes safety lapses

The life of Michael Oronoz, a worker on the set of the Netflix movie "Me Time" with Mark Wahlberg and Kevin Hart, changed forever on September 14, 2021. He was involved in a tragic accident. "Variety" reports that the incident occurred at the Sunset Gower Studio in Hollywood when Oronoz tried to repair a jammed crane mechanism. During the work, he leaned against an unexpectedly opened gate, causing him to fall from a height of 33 feet. He sustained severe injuries, including fractures of both thighs, wrists, jaw, orbital bones, and a brain hemorrhage. The incident led to a three-week coma and required 11 surgeries.

- His heart did stop. They did have to revive him. It took them three times to get him back. His memory of the accident — and the 10 years leading up to it — has been wiped away - said his wife to the magazine.

The accident prompted Michael and his wife, Selina Oronoz, to raise awareness about the issue of neglected safety standards on film sets. - We want things to be fixed. The buildings are old - says Selina. According to their lawyer, Alexander Eisner, the problem is the lack of requirements to adapt older facilities to modern safety standards. He points out that the gate from which Michael fell was supposed to open outward into an empty space, which is against safety regulations that clearly state such gates should open inward or slide to prevent accidental falls. A photo taken three months before the accident also showed that the gate was closed with a rope instead of a solid lock.

Despite severe difficulties, Oronoz returned to work on the set, although he can no longer perform some tasks. He tires easily, cannot lift more than a few pounds, and must avoid heights. Unfortunately, Oronoz's tragic accident was not the last. News of another similar incident that took place in February on the set of a Marvel production deepens concerns about safety standards in the industry. A lighting technician fell from a runway and died at the Radford Studio Center in Studio City while working on the series "Wonder Man." An investigation by the prosecutor's office revealed that the cause of the accident was rotten wood that collapsed. - This news broke our hearts - say the Oronozes.

Michael still has not fully recovered. He had to relearn how to walk and talk. -He’s definitely not the same person I married. He’s not the same person my kids remember," says his wife. The couple has five young children. "That’s been the heartache. Knowing this could happen to somebody else we love is scary. We definitely want Michael’s story to be heard - she added.