MIAMI – Two workers died Sunday morning in a construction accident on Interstate 95, the Florida Highway Patrol said.
Crews rushed to the scene about 3 a.m. just north of Northwest 62nd Street. Authorities blocked off the southbound express lanes for several hours to investigate.
“They’re hard working people and sadly today two lost their lives, and we’re in the process of reaching out to their families and it’s one of the saddest, toughest things that we do," said Joe Sanchez, a spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol. "You can only imagine the family.”
The construction workers were in a trench repairing drainage pipes when one of the cement retaining walls fell on top of them, said Ignatius Carroll, a spokesman for the Miami Department of Fire Rescue. Both workers, who were not identified, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Carroll said the victims were believed to be in their 20s.
The construction site was in the middle of the highway between the north and southbound express lanes.
Working with the construction company, the Miami Fire Rescue tactical rescue team used heavy equipment to prop up the wall so the victims could be moved.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating to determine why the retaining walls fell.
OSHA has been notified.