Plumber’s family sues for fatal South Loop construction accident

The family of a plumber killed at a South Loop construction site last fall has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the site’s management company.

Joseph Middona, 38, was performing a pressure test on a water system on the fourth floor of a tower at 1001 S. State St. when a pipe exploded and struck him in the face about 9:50 a.m. Oct. 23, 2015, according to the suit filed Friday by his widow, Miranda Middona.

Middona was killed instantly, authorities said at the time. He was a resident of Elburn, about 55 miles west of Chicago.

The suit claims Walsh Construction should have had better safety guard in place at its worksite. It seeks more than $150,000 in damages. A company representative could not immediately be reached for comment Friday.

Middona is survived by his wife and three young children, the suit says.