Investigation underway following fatal construction accident at TPA

Tampa International Airport and other agencies are investigating a fatal construction accident involving an equipment operator working on the Airside A Shuttle Guideway Refurbishment Project.

Shortly before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, July 31, first responders rushed to an area near the Blue Arrivals lanes, where construction equipment fell off the shuttle track with the operator inside. The operator died as a result of his injuries.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, which operates TPA, has paused all work on the project until further notice for a comprehensive safety review. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) arrived at TPA Wednesday to conduct its investigation. TPAPD and Tampa Police are also investigating the accident.

TPA is committed to the highest standards of safety and is also working closely with the project's general contractor, Johnson-Laux Construction, to fully understand what happened.

Tampa International Airport Police closed the Blue Arrivals area, temporarily routing passenger pick-up traffic to the Blue Express lanes following the accident. Blue Arrivals reopened just before noon and there were no impacts to TPA flight operations.

Any additional inquiries about the accident must be directed to OSHA.