One dead after restaurant interior collapses in New Jersey

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Falling rubble killed one construction worker and another was seriously injured when the interior of a restaurant collapsed in Maplewood, New Jersey, on Friday, the fire department said. The two men were installing a staircase in the basement at Coda Kitchen and Bar when part of the ceiling collapsed on top of them, Maplewood Fire Chief Michael Dingelstedt said. Firefighters rescued the injured worker, who was taken to hospital with serious injuries but was expected to survive, Dingelstedt said. The other worker, identified as Guo Tai Chen, died from his injuries at the scene, he said. A third construction worker and a restaurant manager escaped from the one-story building unscathed. The restaurant is in downtown Maplewood, a middle-class suburb less than 20 miles (32 km) from New York City, and was not due to be open until lunchtime. The restaurant owner could not immediately be contacted. (Reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by James Dalgleish)