Marshall Fire victims are mourning the death of a construction worker who was helping to rebuild a Louisville home destroyed in the wind-swept inferno.

It’s the third death associated with the 2021 blaze. Two people died in Colorado’s most destructive wildfire, which struck Dec. 30, 2021 and claimed 1,084 homes.

Louisville Interim Police Chief Jeff Fisher told The Denver Gazette that police and the Louisville Fire District got the call Saturday that the man had died while on the job in the 300^th block of Troon Court.

Editor’s note: this story was updated Wednesday with the victim’s name.

The Boulder County Coroner’s office Wednesday identified the victim as 40-year-old Eli Gabriella.

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“It’s heartbreaking,” said Fisher. “Any time there’s a loss of life it’s a tragedy, but for someone to lose his life working in area where our community has lost so much makes it doubly sad.”

The man was driving a small dump truck when he got caught in a piece of machinery, according to Scott Moore, Crime Prevention Specialist with the Louisville Police Department.

The Boulder Coroner’s office confirmed that authorities got the call at 1:05 p.m. Saturday and the man died at the scene.

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Marshall Fire victims were talking about Gabriella’s death in chat rooms Tuesday and Wednesday with sorrow, explaining that even though he didn’t die in the disaster, his passing represented a third victim lost to Colorado’s most devastating wildfire. 

The Dec. 30. 2021 fire destroyed 1,084 homes and businesses and more than 6,000 acres.