Construction Worker Dies After Being Trapped in Water Following Main Break in Uniondale
News 12 Long Island reports that a construction worker died after being trapped in water following a main break in Uniondale.
Detectives say the worker had been working underground when water from the broken main submerged the area. His coworkers pulled him out and performed saving measures, but he was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Police identified the worker as 56-year-old Rafael Peralta of West Babylon.
The incident occurred around 11:15 a.m. on Friday, October 9, 2026, at Ring Road between Stewart Avenue and Zeckendorf Boulevard. The road was closed but has since reopened. The Town of Hempstead Water Department assisted in shutting off the affected water main.
Reacting to the tragedy, one resident expressed their grief: "Losing a loved one is really hard. Knowing that they went out there to provide for their families," said Alice Lindow from Queens. "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.”
There is no word yet on what caused the water main break.