JFK construction remains stopped after deaths of two workers

Construction at Kennedy Airport remained suspended amid a safety review Tuesday after two workers were trapped and killed by rubble inside a trench, officials said.

Francisco Reyes, 41, and Fernando Lagunas Pereira, 28, were moving utility lines near a power plant on Monday as part of a bigger $18 billion rehabilitation plan at the airport, when they were buried by construction debris inside a trench, officials said.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, issued a stop work order yesterday that will remain in place until a safety review is completed, the agency said.

The victims, employed by Bronx-based Triumph Construction, were pronounced dead at the scene after city firefighters extricated their bodies.

Federal officials with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are probing whether the company complied with all applicable workplace safety and health standards at the site. 

While it’s too early to tell how long the investigation will last, it can take as long as six months, according to Ted Fitzgerald, an OSHA spokesperson.

If any violations are found, OSHA could issue citations and subsequent fines.

Triumph Construction is cooperating with authorities and is also conducting its own investigation to find out what led to the deadly incident, according to a statement released by Lloyd Singer, a company spokesperson.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of our two coworkers. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and with all those who loved them,” the statement reads.

“At Triumph Construction, the safety of our employees is always our top priority,” the statement continues.

Meanwhile, Laborers’ Union Local 731 Excavators announced the news of the death of "two of its brothers" on its Instagram page.

 “The goal of every laborer is to return to your loved ones at the end of the day they way you left them,” the Instagram post states.

"When that does not happen, it is a tragedy that hits too close to home."

Reyes was a hardworking 10-year union member while Pereira had only recently started his career there, according to the post. The union did not immediately respond to requests for comment. There was no other information about the victims.