A 56-year-old construction worker from New York died Friday morning after being submerged during a water main break near Long Island’s largest shopping center.
Rafael Peralta, a Babylon resident, was working on a water line beneath Ring Road outside Roosevelt Field mall in East Garden City when rushing water engulfed him at approximately 11:13 a.m., according to Nassau County police and News12.
Peralta’s coworkers pulled him from the excavation after he became trapped underwater. First responders then performed what police described as “life-saving measures” at the scene.
He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said.
News12, citing the Town of Hempstead, reported that Peralta worked for a private contractor hired to service a private water main and hydrant.
The water main was located on Roosevelt Field property, and the mall had hired Peralta’s company for the work.
“Losing a loved one is really hard. Knowing that they went out there to provide for their families,” New York resident Alice Lindow told News12 near the site. “And I just want to pray for God’s comfort and strength for the family that is grieving a lost one, because it’s never easy.”
Police opened an investigation into Peralta’s death. Ring Road was closed for several hours between Stewart Avenue and Zeckendorf Boulevard, the outlet reported.
The fatal New York accident comes after a similar incident in Illinois, where a public works employee died after becoming trapped in an underground vault during a water main break.
Matthew Heiden, a Village of Westmont public works employee, was killed on Feb. 23, 2023, when water flooded the confined area where he was working, according to ABC7 Chicago.
Heiden, 20, was the crew’s youngest full-time employee. A lawsuit filed in November 2023 by the Cooney and Conway law firm on behalf of his estate alleges that he was “knowingly and intentionally” sent underground.
The lawsuit claims Heiden entered the confined space to work on a “non-isolated, fully energized” water main valve without a basic plan, proper training, safety equipment, support or supervision.
The legal action seeks damages from the village.
In March, a three-judge panel overturned a trial judge’s decision, allowing the lawsuit to move forward after it had initially been dismissed with prejudice.