Wastewater Treatment Facility Worker Drowns at Plant in Coney Island

SHEEPSHEAD BAY, BROOKLYN — A man working at a wastewater treatment facility in Sheepshead Bay died on Wednesday afternoon after falling into a tank at the plant.

According to a police source, Michael Buffamante of Hawthorne, New York, was leaning over a tank at the Coney Island Wastewater Treatment Plant when he hit his head and fell into the 35-foot deep water. An investigation into the incident is on-going, police said.

FDNY divers were called in to remove the man from the tank, but when he was recovered he was already in cardiac arrest, the FDNY said. It took eight minutes for the FDNY to find Buffamante, as there was no visibility in the tank and he had sank to the bottom, officials said.

Buffamante, 31, was taken to Coney Island Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

A police source said Buffamante was a private contractor working with the Department of Environmental Protection on upgrades to the facility. The DEP said Buffamante was wearing safety equipment at the time of his fall.

"DEP's thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues," DEP said in a statement. "Additional workers are being interviewed now and DEP will conduct a further review."

Buffamante was installing dechlorination equipment on the final tank used in the treatment process, officials said.

Photo Credit: Coney Island Wastewater Treatment Facility via Google Maps Street View