John David Welsh, 30, of Layton, was found dead at the Capitol in a basement crawl space at about 2 p.m.

The Utah Highway Patrol said Tuesday that troopers and medical personnel discovered an exposed electrical wire above his body. The Utah medical examiner's office determined the cause of death as accidental electrocution, said UHP spokesman Cameron Roden.

Utah Occupational Safety and Health is still investigating elements of the case to determine how the electrocution happened, said UOSH consultation manager Louis Silva. The investigation will help them determine whether the employee or employer or someone else was responsible and whether a violation occurred, Silva said.

Welsh's survivors remembered him in his obituary as a hard worker who took pride in his final job. He worked for a mechanical and plumbing subcontractor, Halverson Mechanical.

Welsh was born in San Francisco and spent his childhood in Sacramento, Calif., and Mead, Wash., the obituary said. He served a two-year mission in Brazil for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the obituary said. He moved to Utah with two of his brothers to work in the excavation and concrete business.

"John consistently worked hard doing anything asked of him and more," the obituary said. The survivors also wrote Welsh "excitedly reported on on his activities at the Utah state Capitol building renovation project. He truly enjoyed his work and those he worked with."

Welsh is survived by 6-year-old daughter Haley; parents Jo Ann and Raymond; brother and sisters, Joel'lene Anderson, Anchorage, Alaska; Harold Welsh, Spokane, Wash.; Ray Welsh, Perry; Edward Welsh, Mountain Green; Katherine Newberry, Sardenia, Ohio; and many nieces and nephews.

ncarlisle@sltrib.com

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