An inspector from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was on-site asking questions Thursday as the U.S. Hwy. 27/441 widening project was shut down after a worker’s death.
John Joseph Terranova, 27, of Leesburg, died after a retaining wall caved in on him and he was buried in rubble at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the site where the bridge over County Road 25 is being dismantled. It took emergency personnel about 10 hours to recover his body from the construction site in Lady Lake.
Terranova was working for the Maylor Foundation Contractors, a subcontractor of Southland Construction, the primary construction company for the U.S. Hwy. 27/441 widening project.
“The Florida Department of Transportation is deeply saddened to hear about the recent incident that took place within the ongoing U.S. 441 road widening project in Lady Lake. The FDOT offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the worker involved in this incident. Safety is always the highest priority in everything the FDOT does – not just for motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists, but for the workers who shape the roadways throughout the state,” said Jessica Ottaviano, Public Information Director for FDOT District Five.
She said work on the project has been “paused while investigations continue and crews re-emphasize safety in the work zone.”
Lady Lake Town Manager William Lawrence expressed his gratitude for all of those who were on the scene of the rescue-turned-recovery during those harrowing hours.
“I am extremely proud of the teamwork among multiple agencies who responded to this tragic accident. I am extremely proud of the Lady Lake Police and Public Works Department who worked through the night at this tragic scene,” Lawrence said.