Construction Worker Dies After Water Main Break Near Roosevelt Field Mall

A 56-year-old construction worker, Rafael Peralta, died after becoming submerged during a water main break near Roosevelt Field mall in East Garden City, Long Island, on Friday morning. The incident occurred at approximately 11:13 a.m. while Peralta was working underneath Ring Road. According to Nassau County police and News12, his coworkers managed to pull him out of the hole before first responders arrived to perform life-saving measures. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Peralta was employed by a private contractor working on a water main and hydrant project for Roosevelt Field. An investigation into his death has been initiated by police, leading to the closure of Ring Road between Stewart Avenue and Zeckendorf Boulevard for several hours. This incident follows a similar case in Illinois, where a public works employee, Matthew Heiden, died after being trapped in an underground vault during a water main break in February 2023. A lawsuit filed for Heiden’s estate claims he was sent underground without proper safety measures and training, and a panel of judges has allowed the lawsuit to proceed after it was initially dismissed.