Croton contractor electrocuted at airport

An electrical contractor working at the Westchester County Airport was electrocuted Thursday afternoon, county executive Rob Astorino said.

Joseph Pingitore, an electrician with Verde Electric Corp., was installing lights to illuminate Taxiway A, which is visible from the airport’s main terminal, about 2:45 p.m. After a malfunction, he opened a lighting assembly panel and was electrocuted, Astorino said at a news conference at the airport.

The victim, a 61-year-old from Croton-on-Hudson, was pronounced dead at the scene.

“This is a real tragedy today at our county airport,” Astorino said.

There were minor delays after the incident, but airport operations remained running throughout.