SAN FRANCISCO — A 28-year-old San Francisco man has died following a tragic workplace accident while on duty at San Francisco International Airport, authorities confirmed. The incident, which occurred Sunday evening, is being treated as an unintentional accident and remains under investigation.
The San Mateo County Coroner’s Office identified the victim as John Lacayanga, who was pronounced dead after the incident. Emergency crews were dispatched to the airport around 7 p.m. following reports of a serious accident on a vehicle service road located between Terminal 3 and the International Terminal’s Boarding Area G, according to airport officials.
When firefighters arrived at the scene, they found Lacayanga trapped beneath a cargo pallet he had reportedly been towing at the time of the accident. Despite immediate response efforts, he could not be saved. Investigators later confirmed that the incident involved only one vehicle, and no other workers or motorists were injured.
Authorities said sheriff’s deputies were the first to respond before turning the case over to the coroner’s office. Officials noted there were no signs of foul play, and the incident is currently being classified as an industrial accident. The exact sequence of events that led to Lacayanga becoming pinned beneath the pallet has not yet been publicly detailed.
At the time of his death, Lacayanga was employed by Dubai National Air Travel Agency, commonly known as dnata, a global company that provides ground handling, cargo operations, and aviation-related services at airports around the world. Representatives from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) also responded to the scene and conducted interviews with Lacayanga’s employer as part of the ongoing investigation.
In a statement released through an airport spokesperson, dnata expressed deep sorrow over the loss of their employee. The company said it is fully cooperating with authorities as they work to determine what caused the fatal accident. dnata also stated it is offering support and assistance to Lacayanga’s family during this difficult time.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deadly workplace accident remains ongoing. Officials said additional details may be released once investigators complete their review. Meanwhile, coworkers and airport personnel are mourning the loss of a young worker whose life was cut short while on the job.
