Authorities Investigating After Worker Killed at Tampa Airport by Falling Equipment

August 5, 2024

A worker who was fatally injured at Tampa International Airport last week was struck by a piece of heavy equipment that fell from a track, according to news reports.

Authorities said Cesar Hernandez Donu, 29, of Seffner, Florida, was working on a shuttle guideway renovation project early Wednesday morning when a track hoe fell and landed on him, the Tampa Bay Times and other outlets reported.

The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority is working with Johnson-Laux Construction to investigate what happened, the authority said in a statement. Hernandez Donu was employed by RWH Construction Services, a Tampa roadway contractor, and was considered a good worker, his obituary noted.

The man was born in Mexico and was a member of a Catholic church in Seffner. He was married and had two daughters.

The $61 million airport project began more than a year ago and is aimed at refurbishing shuttles that move people around the airport, ENR Southeast reported.

The Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims shows that RWH Construction was part of six contested workers’ compensation claims in the last 11 years. Johnson-Laux had one contested injury claim, in 2016.