ROCKPORT, Maine — A member of the family that owns a local construction company was identified by police Friday morning as the man who died Thursday when a bulldozer ran over him at a road construction site.
Franco “Frank” Ferraiolo, 53, of South Thomaston died when a bulldozer backed over him, Camden police Lt. Michael Geary said.
“It was a tragic accident,” Geary said Friday.
Ferraiolo’s family company, Ferraiolo Construction, had been doing the work on the road. Ferraiolo had been bending over behind the bulldozer when he was run over by the equipment, according to Geary.
The company has been run by the family for generations in Rockland. Frank Ferraiolo is the son of company owner Vincent Ferraiolo. The family also owns several downtown commercial properties in Rockland.
Geary declined to release the name of the operator of the bulldozer, saying that information would need to come from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. An investigator with OSHA arrived Friday morning but could not immediately be reached for comment.
The fatal incident occurred at about 3:45 p.m. on a section of Mill Street that was closed to traffic while the project was underway, a few hundred yards from the intersection of Route 90.
Camden and Rockport police responded to the fatality.
That section of Mill Street has been closed to traffic since July 12 for the removal and replacement of a large culvert that spans the outlet from Tolman Pond.
The work on the culvert and road was suspended Friday and will be delayed until OSHA completes its on-site investigation, Geary said.
The town issued a statement Friday on the fatality.
“On behalf of the town of Rockport, I would like to express our deepest sympathy to the families, friends and associates of Frank Ferraiolo. Frank and his company Ferraiolo Construction were the successful bidders on our project at the Mill Street Bridge. An unfortunate accident yesterday resulted in his death on the site. Our thoughts are with everyone, including personnel of the Rockport Fire Department and North East Mobile Health Services who were first on scene,” Town Manager Rick Bates stated.