Construction worker killed at site for Barcelona high speed rail link (a 35 year old workman has died in an accident in one of the tunnels railway station where work is taking place to bring the high speed rail link - he was crushed by a loaded lorry which overturned when he was operating its attachment by remote control - reports say its gross weight could have been up to three tons)
UPDATE Worker dies from injuries (a man, 51, who sustained serious head injuries in an industrial accident has died - he suffered the injuries in an accident at a building while two workers were removing scrap metal from the ceiling of a building that was being demolished when one of the men fell from a forklift with serious head injuries)
Construction Worker Free After 3 Hours In Trench (it took over three hours for rescue personnel to free a construction worker stuck waist-deep in the mud in a 12-foot trench - the hole opened up and trapped the worker when a mound of dirt supporting pipes collapsed in a roadside trench)
Worker killed by blow from digger bucket (a man, 57, was killed instantly after being struck by the bucket of a mechanical digger on a building site - he was working when a bucket is believed to have become detached from a mechanical digger, falling on him and killing him instantly - the digger was moving slabs of concrete at the time of the accident)
Worker, 59, dies after ladder fall (a man, 59, died in hospital after falling 15ft while carrying out work on an empty building - he suffered severe head injuries and was unconscious when he was found at the scene of the accident - one theory is that he had balanced a ladder on top of scaffolding - he then slipped, knocking the scaffolding over and sending him plunging to the ground - he would have been working about 15ft above the ground)
Railing falling off building kills worker (a falling railing killed a worker instantly after it crashed down off a high-rise building - the man, who police describe as a carpeting worker in his 40s, was standing on the ground with a group of workers outside the building an area under construction)
Workers Survive Scaffolding Collapse (two construction workers are recovering after surviving a scary scaffolding collapse - the men were working on an eight story building when a cable malfunctioned, dumping the men from the platform - safety harnesses kept them from falling all the way to the ground - luckily, some firefighters were nearby and were able to make a quick rescue - one of the men suffered a broken leg - the other worker had cuts on his head)
Gas line broken; workers evacuated (a construction worker accidentally dug into and broke a 4-inch natural gas line downtown - hundreds of construction workers and downtown office workers were evacuated for more than an hour - a subcontractor working on the tower ruptured the gas line)
Worker falls from rooftop (the construction worker lost his balance and fell, feet-first, 60 feet onto the wooden roof of the neighboring building - no other details)
Builder breaks leg after falling off scaffolding (a man had to be airlifted to hospital with a fractured leg after falling off some scaffolding - the man, who was carrying some breeze blocks at the time, stepped off some low scaffolding and fell, around a metre, onto some pallets which broke as he landed on them)
Construction worker falls, dies (a construction worker died after the machinery he was operating fell several stories to the ground - investigation is ongoing)
Highway worker struck by truck, thrown 21 feet (a town highway worker was knocked 21 feet into the air when he was struck by a runaway recycling truck - he was cleaning leaves out of a drainage ditch when the accident occurred about 10:50 a.m. - a garbage truck and recycling truck were working in tandem - they had both stopped to pick up bags - the recycling truck apparently slipped out of gear and started rolling backward - he was operating a leaf-collecting vacuum from a parked street sweeper nearby at the side of the road, had his back to the trucks and couldn't hear them)
Excavator crushes man (man, 30, was crushed to death when the excavator he was driving toppled from a trailer - man was unloading the excavator from a truck when the accident occurred)
CONFINED SPACE ACCIDENTConstruction Worker Injured in Accident (worker was drilling concrete in a sewage storage tank when he became entangled with the drill and then complained of neck and back pain - no other details)
Worker hurt after falling from forklift (a man is in hospital with serious head injuries after falling from a forklift - the accident occurred at a building - two workers were removing scrap metal from the ceiling of a building that was being demolished when one of the men fell from a forklift)
Worker Injured In Accident (deputies are still investigating a mid-morning accident that injured a worker standing on the side of the road - the accident happened around 9:00 a.m. along Highway 43 - county dispatcher says an 18-wheeler was in the middle of unloading when a passer-by in an SUV hit one of the workers)
Gilmer schools close after worker dies(the sole maintenance man, 47, for the County Schools died while working on a broken heating and air conditioning unit - he was likely was electrocuted sometime in the afternoon)
Welder's torch sparks fire; three displaced(sparks from a welding torch started a fire at the apartments - workers were welding metal steps onto an apartment building when sparks and heat from the torch set the building on fire)
Worker dies in accident at the workplace in El Ejido (a 35 year old worker was killed when he was run over by an excavator - it happened at his workplace, a cement company - emergency services could only record his death on their arrival)
Worker killed when hit by forklift at school site (a construction worker was killed when he was hit by a forklift truck at the construction site of the new High School - the victim, 58, was an electrician - the accident occurred about 11 a.m. - he was among a group of workers who were crossing a parking lot after attending a meeting in the building - the forklift driver was headed around a curve and apparently did not see him - he was run over by the right rear tire of the forklift truck)
Worker tumbles off church roof (while repairing the roof of the Church, a 25-year-old worker slid down the shingles and landed in bushes, fracturing his right leg and right wrist - according to police reports, the accident happened at 1:20 p.m. - the victim, climbed a ladder to the pitch of the church and lost his grip and fell to the ground)
Death of construction worker investigated (authorities are investigating to determine the circumstances that led to a construction worker falling to his death from a rooftop - worker, 31, landed on his back and died from the fall - the County Medical Examiner's office reported that he died from internal injuries with bleeding - none of the other workers witnessed the fall - the crew had finished the roofing work a day before he fell, and no one knows why he went back up on the roof)
Seven Construction Workers Injured After Scaffolding Collapses (seven workers were injured after scaffolding collapsed at a construction site - three workers were seriously injured and several others had broken bones - workers were laying bricks for a new shopping center when the 20-foot-high scaffolding gave way - one worker was on the scaffolding loading bricks and authorities believe the weight of the bricks may have caused the structure to collapse on top of the six others on the ground who were injured - other workers on scene acted quickly to free the victims from the structure - officials said their attempts to help could have caused more injuries - the two victims most seriously injured were underneath the scaffolding when it fell - photos @ link)
Roof Collapses, Killing a Worker and Injuring Two (a construction laborer working on the ground floor of a five-story apartment building was killed when the roof of the building collapsed - the building had a history of construction violations and complaints by neighbors, according to city records - worker was going to quit his job by Friday, relatives said - the dead laborer, 33, died in a torrent of brick and plaster that cascaded through the empty shell of the building - two other workers were injured in the collapse, one of whom was rescued by firefighters from Rescue 1 who rushed into the building and cut him free of the debris - more than 100 firefighters responded to the scene)
Man killed in roofing accident in Thompson (a construction worker was killed on the job after falling 17 feet off scaffolding that was mounted against a house - worker, 47, was part of a roofing company crew installing a new roof on a two-story home when he fell off aluminum scaffolding around 11 a.m. - he was transported to Hospital by ambulance - he succumbed to injuries sustained from the fall and was pronounced dead at 11:42 a.m.)
Concrete slab pins worker during Continental Inn demolition (a man working on the demolition of the Inn was injured when a concrete slab from the ceiling fell on him - he has (a) very, very serious injury to his foot - firefighters spent an hour working to free the man, who was pinned beneath a slab of concrete that was 3 to 5 inches thick and measured 6 by 15 feet across)
Two Men Critically Injured in Construction Accident (two male workers were constructing a building when they both fell from a high-reach hitting the concrete slab platform below - the platform was elevated 20 feet from off the ground - one worker broke his leg)
Wall falls on man (a retaining wall fell over on a construction worker but he was not seriously injured - the accident happened about 10:45 a.m. at a residence as workers were digging around an older wall so that they could add a newer wall to reinforce the first one - instead the wall toppled onto the worker, who was in his 20s, but other workers were able to help him out from under it)
UPDATE Casino exec: Injured worker wasn't wearing harness (a steel worker injured at the construction site apparently was not wearing a safety harness when he fell about 30 feet from the lower section of the casino roof)
Men injured on Swampscott Road job site (a man working injured a leg after an accident involving a piece of equipment, possibly a front-end loader - no other details yet)
Highway worker injured when hit by vehicle (a highway worker, 26, for a private company was struck by a vehicle when she was placing construction barriers - she had entered the highway and placed a barrel in the travel lane - on her way back to the roadway, she entered the path of a passing vehicle and was struck)
Falling tree kills worker (a man was killed when a tree fell on the track hoe he was operating - was working on property to remove trees on the property - was removing dirt from the base of a tree, which divided into two large above-ground branches - while pushing the trees over with the fork of the track hoe, one fell away from the equipment and the other landed on the boom and on the operator's compartment)
One man dies, another breaks leg when wall tumbles onto work crew (a 39-year old man died in a construction accident when he was crushed by a wall - man was part of a crew erecting a large wooden wall - as the wall was being raised, a support cable detached and the wall dropped toward the men working below)
Jefferson Officer Risks Life to Help Trapped Worker (a painter remains hospitalized after he fell 30 feet to the bottom of a water tank - worker, 37, was painting the tank when he slipped and fell inside)
5 hurt when van hits IDOT truck on Bishop Ford (five people, including three Illinois Department of Transportation workers, were injured when a contractor's van rear-ended an IDOT truck - about 9 a.m., the highway workers were riding in the truck retrieving orange safety cones that had been set out earlier for a bridge project that had been canceled because of snow squalls in the area)
Construction worker burned on face (a construction worker helping renovate a home was seriously burned when a fire that was started to thaw a pile of sand flared up in his face - the man, 35, was working when someone in the construction crew started a fire on sand that had become wet and froze)
Construction worker in Forked River injured after fall (a construction worker was hospitalized after falling roughly 20 feet from a ladder today at a home - was climbing a ladder at a residence in an attempt to reach a third floor deck - as he reached the top, the ladder slid sideways and he plunged to the ground, landing face first onto lumber)
Trench collapse injures one (a man working on the septic system at his home is lucky to be alive this morning - after the trench collapsed, his wife ran out and found him completely buried - by the time firefighters arrived, she had dug around his head so that her husband could breathe and talk)
Crane crushes three cars Massive vehicle topples on Hackensack ... (a 45-foot, 50-ton construction crane, employed for structural work at the apartment complex, toppled onto a string of parked cars - according to police, the massive crane was off-loading equipment for the work - operator in the back of the cab, felt the cab begin to tip - he must have felt something wasn't right because he jumped out and yelled, 'Run, run')
Roadwork crane plunges into yard (a crane operating on the shoulder of northbound I-5 tipped over - the crane's boom fell down an embankment and landed in a residential back yard - the cab of the crane remained on the shoulder of the freeway - the crane did not break apart - boom crushed a small shed in the back yard of a home - no injuries as a result of the 2 a.m. incident)
Worker dies after being dragged down street by trailer (a construction worker died after he fell between a co-worker's truck and trailer and was dragged 83 feet - worker, 45, went to the back of the truck to remove something - driver did not notice him behind the truck, drove forward - he tried to keep up with the moving truck, but slipped and fell beneath the trailer)
UPDATE Building firm fined after worker fell from ladder (company was fined more than £4,000 after one of its workers broke his back when he fell 20-feet from a ladder on a construction site - plummeted to the ground after the ladder he was working from slipped backwards on smooth concrete)
Construction Worker Falls More Than 20 Feet (a construction worker was hurt after he fell more than 20 feet - an attorney representing the contractor at the sight said the worker went into an off-limits area that was barricaded)
Worker dies at library site (the man fell and died on the council's new library construction site - the man fell 10m from a roof he had been working on - under investigation)
Ice Contributed to Construction Accident (icy conditions contribute to a fall at a construction site - crews were working on a concrete trench that is part of a major expansion - a 20-year old construction worker was going down into the trench on a scissor-lift. He slipped on a piece of ice and fell into a concrete channel)
Man electrocuted, falls off building (a 25-year-old wall painter was killed after falling off the fourth floor of a building after being electrocuted - the two were painting a building when he touched a live wire and fell off the fourth floor - he died instantly)
Four hurt in Netherlands shopping centre blast (the explosion appeared to have been caused by a gas leak as a local energy company was carrying out repairs - at least one of the four people injured was a construction worker)
Workers from Boone business hurt in construction site accident (three workers from the construction business were injured when a wall and scaffolding collapsed - at about 8:15 a.m., a scaffolding about 18 feet off the ground came down with two of the workers on it, and one underneath)
UPDATE Worker was buried in trench (a civil engineering firm, was laying storm sewers in June 2003 when a trench collapsed on a worker, who was the son-in-law of the company's owner - the victim suffered bruising to his ribs, a twisted right knee and torn ligaments)
UPDATE SoCal jury awards $30 million in sewage tank collapse lawsuit (a jury awarded $30 million to construction workers injured when a roof collapsed over a sewage tank they were building in Carson, plunging some down six stories and impaling two on metal reinforcement bars)
2 workers saved from dirt burial (two construction workers were pulled from under a mound of dirt and rocks after a wooden platform collapsed and sent them falling into a mud-filled trench)
Electrical accident at West Town sends two Mall employees to ... (a Mall employee is at Vanderbilt Medical Center's burn unit with facial burns after an electrical accident - two workers were tending to an electrical box - they believe something sparked a brief flash fire, causing facial injuries to one worker - the other victim had more minor injuries and was seen talking with medical personnel while being loaded in an ambulance)
Worker Dies In Anderson Construction Site Accident (worker, 60, was getting ready to pour a concrete footer along a private drive when the machine he was riding flipped forward - hit his head and was dead by the time rescue crews arrived at the home)
UPDATE OSHA Seeking Maximum Fine In Worker's Death (one of the company's employees was killed on July 20 when the bank of an 8-1/2 foot deep water line excavation collapsed on him - an inspection by OSHA after the accident found that the excavation did not have cave-in protection)
Construction worker rescued from collapsed trench (the foreman at a construction site was trapped for about 45 minutes after the 8-foot-deep trench he was working in collapsed around him, burying him waist-deep - was trapped between a large boulder and a backhoe bucket - was working to tie into the Water District's recyclable water main at the time of the accident)
Construction worker badly burned (worker, 36, apparently had been trying to warm up sand for mortar mix in a container that had been placed on top of a 55-gallon drum - drum was filled with burning construction scraps - when they arrived, paramedics reported he was standing in the street with second and third degree burns on his face and neck, and was having difficulty breathing)
Construction Worker Injured In Fall Onto Queensboro Bridge (a construction worker was seriously injured after falling from scaffolding - the construction worker was injured just after 10 a.m. when he plunged two stories from scaffolding above the bridge onto the roadway below)
Gas leak disrupts downtown Beloit (several businesses were evacuated after a contractor drilled into a natural gas line - a company had been boring holes for demolition of the “superblock,” which is the parking deck and hit a 2 inch gas main - he did not know how the worker hit the pipe as it had been located)
Worker Dies In Construction Accident (a worker was killed when the roller he was driving fell about 35 feet from an off ramp at an Interstate 40 construction site - no other details)
Man's leg severed in job-site accident (a 33-year-old man's leg was severed in an industrial accident - leg got caught in a trencher, a small tractor with a chainsaw-like digger attached to the back, while a co-worker was digging a septic line - leg was severed at the knee)
Worker rescued from trench (emergency crews rescued a construction worker who injured his back after falling into a trench at a fiber optic cable work site - the worker fell into a hole that was about 7 feet square and 7 feet deep - the 21-year-old told rescuers he heard his back snap when he landed in the pit, which had been dug to install a concrete cable junction box)
Worker suffers injuries (the man was opening the curtain of a rail wagon to unload packets of medium density fibreboard - one of the packets fell out of the wagon landing on the worker's legs)
Worker injured by falling wall in Olympia (a construction worker was injured when a wall he and others were putting up fell on him - workers were building a house - workers pulled their colleague out from under the wall, which was about 10 feet high and 20 feet long, and had already been sheeted)
Worker killed in road construction accident (a Department of Transportation employee was killed when he stepped in front of a moving 25-ton roller - worker, 49, was working at a road construction site when the accident occurred - witnesses said he stepped in the machine's path as it was backing up - the machine, known as a pneumatic roller, compacts pavement)
Cave-In at Construction Site Buries One Worker in NE. China (a worker remained missing ten hours after a cave-in occurred at the construction site of an over bridge - accident took place when workers were digging a pit for a pile - a worker at the site fell into the five-meter deep pit when the cave-in happened and was then buried by mud and sand)
Welding Accident Starts Hospital Fire (some welders working on remodeling a conference room when a small fire erupted - the fire was immediately contained by hospital staff and no patients had to be relocated)
UPDATE Report: 'Scared' Roofers Fled Church Fire (two roofers using blow torches on the roof of the historic Pilgrim Baptist Church left the scene because they became scared when they couldn't extinguish what would become a devastating fire)
Worker dies in construction accident in Stony Point (a 33-year-old worker died an hour after being struck by an excavator digging outside a house - was hit by the excavator's bucket and forced into the side of the house)
Beam kills worker (worker, 51, died from crushing injuries after a steel beam fell onto him - appeared to be adjusting a cable attached to the beam before the beam fell)
1:00 pm | Charlotte construction worker hurt (a construction worker reportedly was injured at the site - the worker was found in a hole - firefighters are working to treat and stabilize the injured worker)
Fire at new Bangkok airport leaves one dead; will still open in ... (a construction worker died at the facility - one person died in the fire and three people were injured, mostly from jumping out of windows as the fire engulfed the building - fire was caused by an accident during construction)
One killed, two injured when building collapses in Holyoke (a construction worker died and another was seriously injured after the top floor of an unoccupied building they were demolishing collapsed - were on the fourth floor of the building when two outside walls buckled and the roof and floor caved in, dropping them to the third floor)
Railway tunnel flooding traps 11 workers in central China (eleven people were still stranded more than 12 hours after a flooding occurred at a railway tunnel construction site - accident took place when 14 workers were working inside a tunnel of an under-construction railway)
UPDATE Two Toronto-area construction companies fined $115,000 each for health and safety violations (a labourer was spraying oil onto concrete "forms" (structures into which concrete is poured) for a wall in a building when the labourer fell about 15.2 metres (50 feet) from the 10th floor to the roof of the fourth floor. The labourer had been walking backwards towards the edge of the building when the fall occurred through a 0.9-metre (three-foot) gap in a metal guardrail. The labourer died as a result of injuries)
Crane tips over near I-75 (a crane tipped over near Interstate 75 injuring the driver and spilling several hundred gallons of diesel fuel - it was unclear why the crane had tipped)
Trapped Worker Jokes About Angry Wife (a worker trapped under four-feet of dirt managed to keep his sense of humor as rescuers dug him and another man out of the ground - the two became trapped when a trench wall collapsed - the two were working on a 20-inch pipeline at a water tower when the accident occurred)
Industrial Accident Kills One in Virginia Beach (a construction worker died when a machine malfunctioned at a job site - there was a machinery malfunction, and one of the workers got caught up in the conveyer belt - the machine is used to crush stone)
Fire Forces Evacuation Of Hartford High School (a high school was evacuated after a transformer exploded and then caught fire - three electrical workers were injured in the accident - the crew was doing routine work in the transformer room when the explosion happened)
Roofer Dies After Falling 7 Stories Onto Metal Fence(a worker repairing the roof of a condominium died after falling seven stories, landing on a metal fence - the 55-year-old worker was operating a trolley hoist, lifting roofing supplies, when he and the machine came crashing down)
Worker injured on construction site(a worker in the process of paving a parking lot was seriously injured when he was run over by a dump truck)
Man Injured In Fall At BWI Dies (was one of two workers who fell into a hole about 25 feet deep while installing a fueling system at the airport's north cargo complex)
Construction worker crushed to death near Oceana (a construction worker was snatched up by a mammoth rock-crushing machine and was crushed to death - a machine that was breaking up an old runway across from the base malfunctioned)
Fire spoils lunch at Clifton eatery (a flash fire on the roof of the newly opened resturant emptied the building during the busy lunch - a contractor using a blow torch to apply adhesive to the roof accidentally started the fire)
Labourer dies in site collapse (a labourer was crushed to death and another seriously injured after scaffolding collapsed - men were among four labourers trying to dismantle the temporary scaffolding — which had been put up to move medical equipment)
Crane Snaps In Aberdeen (the machine was lifting a slab of cement when it snapped and came within inches of crushing the cab he was sitting in - authorities aren't sure why the crane snapped - workers were lifting a 50,000 pound cement slab as while working on a parking ramp - that's when the crane, that's supposed to be able to hold 142 tons, snapped - photo @ link)
UPDATE C.L. Construction & General Contractors Limited fined $100,000 for health and safety violation (workers were engaged in the forming and pouring of concrete foundation walls when an extendable boom on a concrete pump truck came into contact with an energized, 27,600-volt overhead powerline. The truck operator suffered burns to a thumb and foot. A second worker, who was holding a hose connected to the boom, suffered severe burns to both hands and feet. The electrical current also flowed into an adjacent ready-mix concrete truck causing a third worker, who was standing on the truck's rear platform, to be knocked to the ground. While the third worker was being assisted by a fourth worker, the electrical current caused one of the ready-mix concrete truck's tires to explode. Both the third and fourth workers were struck by the tire and thrown through the air, landing on hard surfaces)
Construction Worker Dies In Morning Accident (a construction worker was critically injured Wednesday morning after getting hit in the head with a pipe - a pipe either fell or was dropped on the worker)
UPDATE Injured worker awarded $1.89M (a jury has awarded a construction worker $1.89 million for injuries from a 2001 fall - worker, 40, fell roughly 20 feet while helping to erect the second story of a hotel - a 4,000-pound precast concrete slab landed on him after an improperly designed beam that was supposed to hold the panel in place twisted)
Miami construction worker stuck in a trench (a 38-year-old construction worker fell into trench - it was considered a long fall, which means the trench was more than 10 feet below ground - no other details)
Bulldozer Accident (a local construction worker was run over by a bulldozer - a man got off the bulldozer, but left it running..that's when it started to roll backwards - when he tried to climb back onto the bulldozer he slipped, and fell under one of the tracks)
DOT worker hit by driver reportedly drag racing (a Department of Transportation worker suffered minor injuries this morning when a motorist lost control, allegedly while drag racing through a Ga. 400 work zone with another vehicle, and struck the pickup truck in which the worker was sitting - the worker was injured when one of the racing vehicles clipped a tractor-trailer, careened onto the shoulder and pushed the worker's pickup truck into traffic — where it was struck by another vehicle that was not involved in the race)
Caltran Worker Injured In Hit-And-Run (a worker was seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident - a trailer on the back of a landscaping truck broke loose - worker was sent to the hospital with major injuries, including a broken leg)
Bluffs worker falls off roof (man was seriously injured when he fell from a roof while working on a building project - fell through a hole in the roof - suffered a fracture in the ball of his hip joint, two cracked ribs, a bruised lung, a compound fracture in his arm, internal bleeding and a cut on his chin)
Worker electrocuted in waterfront mishap (a co-worker tried cardiopulmonary resuscitation when he discovered the 23-year-old not breathing and without a pulse - the man was welding on a floating dredging barge when the accident happened)
Train Service Resumes After Construction Accident (a construction worker in his 50s suffered non-life-threatening injuries when he fell 10 to 12 feet into the unshored trench - train service was stopped because officials feared vibrations from the rail traffic would cause the ditch to collapse)
6:15 pm | Man's arm nearly severed in accident (a worker at a construction site was taken to Carolinas Medical Center after his right arm was almost severed in an accident - arm was trapped in a boring machine in a trench - the man's clothing had been caught in the machine, pulling his right hand and arm into the machinery)
Construction worker in stable condition, bridge construction ... (a journeyman carpenter, injured in a construction accident at the bridge site, is in stable condition - was part of a crew laying support beams - the accident occurred when one of the beams broke - it was suspended from a crane at the time of the break and fell to the ground)
UPDATE Wrecking firm fined for accident that killed Allan Manchester (a wrecking company was fined $250,000 for failing to stabilize a massive steel door that fell on a man during the demolition work - died of injuries sustained in the industrial accident - a supervisor and one of his coworkers was also fined)
70-ton segment of I-280 bridge falls during test at North Toledo ... (a 70-ton precast concrete bridge segment fell 18 inches to the ground after a mechanical failure at the I-280 construction site injuring no one but disrupting the project for the second time in two weeks - a 6-inch-diameter shaft in a hoisting assembly called a manipulator broke as the segment was lifted slowly off the ground during a test - workers had just installed a different manipulator on the gantry crane being used to assemble bridge spans because construction had proceeded to a stage in which unbalanced precast segments are involved)
Worker injured in Dan Ryan hit-and-run (a construction worker was slightly injured on the Dan Ryan Expressway when struck by a vehicle, which then fled the scene - employee suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment at the scene)
Roofing company worker electrocuted in Pompano Beach (a 29-year-old roofing company worker was electrocuted during an on-the-job accident - was moving a 28-foot long aluminum extension ladder when the ladder came in contact with live power lines)
TXDOT Worker Dead After Vehicle Avoiding Accident Strikes Him (a 32-year-old man died in an auto-pedestrian accident - a vehicle traveling northbound swerved from the right land to the left lane - in an effort to avoid a crash with this vehicle, several other vehicles swerved to the median)
Worker pinned between forklift, car at construction site (worker was airlifted to an area hospital after he was pinned between a forklift and a car at a construction site - no immediate information on the cause of the accident or nature of the man's injuries)
Construction worker falls to death Plummets 15 feet while working ... (a married father of two young children, was a metal worker - was working alone on a high steel beam that was approximately 15 feet high - he was fastening rivets and bolts when witnesses said they saw him lose his footing and fall directly to the ground)
Four workers die as earth caves in at building site (four workers were killed when the earth caved in where a compound wall for a housing project was being built - at least four others were injured in the accident)
Nobody Injured When Crane Topples Over At Santa Monica Pier (a large crane toppled over at the Santa Monica Pier, but no one was hurt - the 28,000-pound crane was being used to lift construction materials as part of an ongoing project to strengthen the pier when it toppled over - the crane "slowly rolled over" onto its side)
US 395 construction worker killed in industrial accident (a construction worker had been killed in a heavy equipment accident - the construction worker was operating a grader, a large vehicle similar to a tractor, on a hillside - for unknown reasons, the worker lost control of the grader and it drove off a roadway and down an embankment - the worker came out of the grader and was crushed by the machine)
Concrete truck tips, kills 20-year-old worker (a 20-year-old construction worker was killed after the arm of a concrete-pumping truck collapsed while pouring - worker was pinned beneath the concrete-pumping boom - three other workers who were not identified also suffered moderate to minor injuries, including a broken leg - construction crews were pouring concrete at a rural, unfinished housing development when the truck tipped forward onto its front wheels)
Investigation: accident at Anchorage dump site (a concrete worker took a pretty serious fall - during those repairs that the accident happened - according to reports, that man fell some twenty feet, suffering a serious injury to his head)
Man critical after fall at Haverstraw work site (a construction worker was in critical condition yesterday after falling four stories when the scaffolding he was standing on gave way - worker, 29, was standing on a 2-by-6 plank and installing a wall shortly before 11 a.m. when the scaffolding collapsed)
UPDATE $1.35m award over crane accident (a jury today awarded $1.35 million to a man whose pelvis was crushed when an eight-tonne concrete panel being lifted by a crane was dropped on him - lawyer said the accident might have been avoided if the snatch block on the crane had been fitted with a locking pin, estimated to cost about $10, a practice introduced since his client's accident)
Highway worker killed in accident (a highway construction worker was killed in an accident involving heavy machinery - the 38-year old Austin man was working on a machine that lays pavement on the highway when he somehow became entangled in it - the individual was working in front of the machine and accidentally became entangled in the auger that was on the machine and was killed)
Man dies in construction accident (two subjects had fallen from the roof and one was in critical condition - they were putting the trusses on the roof - the accident occurred when a truss he was standing on broke the two men fell approximately 14 feet)
Worker killed in Reno construction accident identified (a construction worker killed when a pipeline trench collapsed was identified as a 20-year-old man who had worked for the company only two weeks - another man trapped by the cave-in remained hospitalized in critical condition - worker, 40, was buried up his chest for almost four hours before being rescued from the muddy trench - they were installing a pipeline when the banks of the trench gave way, burying them around 2:30 p.m.)
Worker killed as trench collapses at golf course (a collapsed construction trench trapped three workers at a golf course, leaving one dead and two injured - four men were in the 10-foot-deep trench installing a storm sewer drain -- part of routine maintenance -- near the second hole of the Country Club golf course when the dirt gave way, burying three of the workers)
Worker hurt at Yeager Airport (a man operating a dump truck at the Airport’s runway extension project was injured when the vehicle’s cab twisted away from its dump bed and overturned as he was offloading a cargo of mud - was operating an articulated truck, where the dump bed and cab are connected by a swiveling pivot - he was dumping mud out of his truck that had been scraped off the haul road to get it dried up)
Fort Myers office/apartment building fire under control (the unidentified man was on a ladder holding something that he was using to try to melt down some tar he'd just installed - the man suddenly headed down the ladder and said, "Don't pay me now. I just started a fire," )
2 Die in Public Works Accident (two workers died and one was badly injured when a piece of heavy earthmoving equipment fell into the trench where they were working)
Ministry investigates man's fall from crane bucket (officials are investigating an accident that sent a man to a hospital after a 20-foot fall from a truck crane bucket - the man was in a "cherry picker," an elevated platform attached to a truck, and was changing a light bulb in a street lamp when the truck apparently moved - its extendable boom got caught in an overhead cable and bent, tipping the bucket and resulted in the worker falling 20 feet to the ground)
Painter fell trying to aid others, witnesses say (a temporary maintenance deck broke under the bridge - safety harnesses saved three of the workers, and live television showed them being pulled to safety after dangling below the bridge deck - he fell into the river in an attempt to help his dangling co-workers - GREAT Video of the suspended workers and rescue @ Worker Falls From JB Bridge; Rescuers Save 3 Others)
UPDATE Reno man becomes second person to die in trench collapse (a man died at a hospital, four days after he was buried in a trench collapse at a golf course - the 39-year-old worker became the second person to die in the accident - crew was installing a storm drain pipeline when the sides of the trench gave way)
Two injured after crane accident [17/02/2006] (two workers were seriously injured when they fell from a crane - the two men, aged 34 and 39, were doing some work in the crane when the cabin got dislodged and fell a height of about seven metres into a field with the two men inside)
UPDATE Company Cited In Trench Collapse (a construction company has been issued a citation in the collapse of a trench that buried one worker and trapped another - neither worker was seriously injured - accident happened Jan. 27 where the two men were working on a 20-inch pipeline - OSHA says one worker was able to breath during the collapse only because he was wearing a welding mask)
Construction Site Accident Leaves One Dead (worker, 38, was killed in an accident - had been with the company for a year - died during a paving operation - there was a large piece of machinery paving the overpass itself, and the individual was working in front of the machine and accidentally became entangled in the augger that was on the machine and was killed)
Worker dies when trench collapses (a 25-year-old plumber died after he was trapped beneath the surface of a trench that collapsed - man was installing water and sewer lines for a new house - had worked for the company for three years)
Crane moving palm tree crashes into breezeway (a crane crashed into a hallway connecting two condo buildings during the grand opening - no one was hurt when the crane came crashing down about 1:34 p.m. - the crane's operator was bringing a palm tree over a breezeway that connects two buildings at the complex - firefighters do not know what caused the crane to fall but they do not think the tree's weight was the culprit)
Coroner: Electrical accident killed man (worker, 40, was electrocuted while renovating a house - accidentally pinched a live wire with a jack while he was working on the home's foundation)
Metro Worker Injured After Crane Accident (a crane operator, 45, was trapped for 50 minutes after a crane fell and crushed its cab - crane tipped over, smashed against the unit he was trying to transport (and) compressed him inside - suffered a broken ankle and wrist as well as leg trauma)
Worker is crushed to death in Ulster County construction accident (a man,47, was killed while operating an exactor - 47, had pinned himself between the excavator and a tree - while he attempted to exit the cab, he hit a lever that caused the cab to rotate and trap him)
Construction worker killed after fall (an experienced construction worker has died after falling 16 feet from a roof - worker, 33, was working with four other men building a house when he fell - had worked for his company for 15 years and was experienced in his field - is survived by a wife and a 3-year-old son)
Bypass bridge frame collapses (the Highway 49 Bypass saw its second accident since work started in 2004 on the project when the falsework for a bridge spanning Sutter Creek near the city's sewer treatment plant crashed into the creek below - no one was injured in the accident - collapse is still under investigation - photo @ link)
I-4 Construction Worker Hit by Car (a construction worker was injured when a car crashed through cones and hit her - the ramp is closed, and there were orange construction cones blocking the ramp, but a vehicle crashed through the cones and hit her - she suffered a compound fracture)
Worker buried alive in Free State (one worker was buried alive and his colleague injured when a trench collapsed - the trench, about three metres deep, was being dug to lay water pipes)
Backhoe accident leaves one dead ((a construction worker was killed when he became pinned under the arm of a backhoe at a home construction site - man had been operating the machine by himself and had apparently walked around to the back when he became entangled in the mechanisms)
Worker dies after mishap at Bay View (a man died from severe injuries he suffered after he and a co-worker were run over by an all-terrain forklift - forklift truck driver was backing up at the site of the expansion sewer hole when one of the truck's wheels hit and ran over the workers)
Man falls onto power line and is electrocuted (a 28-year-old man who was working at a residential construction site was electrocuted when he lost his balance and fell onto a power line - he was on a two-story scaffolding attached to a home when he fell)
2 Workers Rescued After Trench Collapse (firefighters rescued two men trapped in a trench collapse - one construction worker was buried completely while the other had mud up to his chest - a city fire official says the accident happened at a new home site where an excavating company was digging a sewer connection)
Construction Accident Kills Worker In Virginia Beach - UPDATE (the 31-year-old construction worker was working with a stone crushing machine when investigators say the machine malfunctioned - the worker got caught up in the conveyor belt and was crushed to death)
Worker may have been electrocuted at plant (it appears the worker, 22, was electrocuted while installing some lighting in one area of the factory, which is scheduled to be open for production this year - investigators said a number of workers in the plant heard a loud crashing sound and found the worker having an apparent seizure on the floor)
Worker dies after pit collapses (a construction worker died when a hole being excavated collapsed around him - the worker was trapped in about 4 feet of dirt in a hole - two workers were installing trench boxes about 30 feet down in a hole wider than a tractor-trailer when the north side of the hole collapsed - one worker escaped, but the other was buried)
Construction Worker Killed By Falling Clay (a welder, 30, was killed when ground clay fell on him as he was working to unclog a 120-ton steel tank - was covered and apparently suffocated - he was standing on a conveyor belt below the opening of the 34-foot-tall tank, which was being installed - the tank holds the powdery ground clay, and he was using a torch to cut sections of steel I-beams and channels clogging the tank opening - some of the material caked on the side of the tank apparently loosened and fell on him)
Blowtorch sets Plaza stairwell on fire (a worker using a blowtorch accidentally set a stairwell at hotel ablaze - the fire did not spread and no one was hurt - had no guests because it closed in April 2005 for renovations and partial conversion to condominiums)
Helicopter Rescues Man From 310-Foot-Tall Crane In Los Angeles (a Fire Department helicopter plucked a worker with chest pains from atop a 310-foot-tall crane at a construction site - crane operator could not climb down the ladder from the crane cab and because there was no other operator on site, the crane itself could not be used to lower the man)
Worker hurt in fall from rooftop on Governors (a man, 30, was seriously injured when he fell off the top of a building - was working on an air-conditioning unit on top of a building when he fell about 20 to 25 feet)
Fire damages new construction: Spark from welding torch ignited ... (the fire started when construction workers welding on the second floor of the three-story building accidentally set the exterior insulation on fire - an errant spark from a welding torch ignited plastic insulation on the exterior of an office building under construction - estimated the damage at $20,000)
Fire at EKU Student Apartment Building (the fire started just after 11 a.m. when roofers working with hot tar and a torch lit part of the building on fire)
Sparks cause fire at RB&W factory (an acetylene torch ignited a fire at a factory that is being torn down - demolition crews were using a torch to cut steel girders and it sparked the roofing material)
Man buried alive in trench (one worker was buried alive and a colleague injured when a trench collapsed - the accident happened while the men were working in the trench - the trench, about three metres deep, was being dug to lay water pipes)
Truss collapse will delay work for two weeks (construction will be delayed about two weeks after wooden trusses collapsed at the site - as workers assembled the trusses on the roof of the planned shopping plaza one fell, causing a domino effect)
ACCIDENT AT ST. PETER'S: CONSTRUCTION WORKER DIES (AGI) - Rome, Italy, Sept. 1 - Workers were setting up a stage at St. Peter's square, when they lost their balance and fell five meters. A 50-year-old worker died while a 38-year-old worker was rushed to the hospital and is in critical condition. The stage was being prepared for an upcoming ceremony to be held by the pope. (AGI)
Bridge worker drowns By David Conti and Jim Ritchie TRIBUNE-REVIEW Saturday, August 30, 2003 A worker on the Fort Pitt Bridge construction project drowned in the Monongahela River Friday afternoon after falling out of a boat used to transport workers from a pier work site. The Allegheny County Coroner's Office identified the victim as James Warren, 29, of Conneaut, Ohio, an employee of Cleveland-based L.M. Lignos Enterprises. Trumbull Corp., of West Mifflin, the contractor on the Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel rehabilitation, hired Lignos to handle the painting. "It's a real tragedy, and our real concern is with the employee and his family," Trumbull President George Mezey said. Mezey and PennDOT project manager Jim Foringer said this was the first major work-related accident on the decade-long project to rehabilitate the bridge, tunnel and nearby roads. It occurred as Trumbull is wrapping up work on its $84.2 million contract with PennDOT to overhaul the bridge and tunnel.
Trapped worker dies despite emergency response By RYAN GILLIS, Journal Staff Writer 8/29/2003 WELLSVILLE — Emergency crews from around the area converged on Wellsville Thursday after a worker became trapped while digging near a gym on Wells Avenue extension. Despite the number of people responding to the accident scene, the victim did not survive. The county coroner’s investigator was at the accident scene and is investigating. Wellsville police deferred questions about the accident to the coroner’s office, but no one from that office could be reached for comment Thursday night. Investigators were releasing no details at the accident scene, but the man apparently was installing pipe near the Curves For Women gym at 557 Wells Avenue, when, according to unconfirmed reports, the hole he was working in collapsed around him. It is not clear if the man was working alone or as part of a team when the accident occurred. Unofficial reports at the scene suggested the man already was dead as firefighters worked to dig him out of the hole. Some could be seen lifting 5-gallon buckets of earth from the accident site. There was no sense of urgency in their actions. Drivers on state Route 7, which runs parallel to the Wells Avenue extension, were pulling over and stretching to get a better look across the highway at the group of police, firefighters and ambulance crews swarming between the gym and the Riverside Roadhouse. After what was at least two hours of digging, the victim’s body was removed from the hole and loaded into an ambulance. Almost simultaneously, calls went out for a medic as one of the firefighters at the scene succumbed to the heat and collapsed. Men and equipment from the Wellsville police and fire departments, Liverpool Township Fire Department, Follansbee Fire Rescue, Highlandtown and Irondale volunteer fire departments were working at the accident scene.
Construction Worker Hurt in Accident on Job OLATHE, Kan. -- A Kansas City Metropolitan Area construction worker was hurt Friday in an accident on the job. The 42-year-old man was in stable condition after he was pinned between a piece of construction equipment and a steel beam, KCTV5's Robb Yagmin reported. It happened at about 11:40 a.m. as the man was working a new addition to a building at Garmin International in the 1700 block of South Mahaffie. He somehow got stuck between the basket on a crane and a steal beam. Some co-workers saw that something was wrong and lowered the boom to see what happened. The man was unconscious for about 30 seconds, and then medical personnel arrived. They rushed him to the hospital with a collapsed lung, which doctors re-inflated. He just started working for a company called Building Erection Services, a subcontractor for a general contractor called Turner Construction. Robb investigated the background of Turner Construction and found the Kansas City company had faced eight OSHA inspections in the state of Kansas since 1976 with one citation in 1993. In the state of Missouri, the company was cited four times for safety reasons in 2000, Robb reported on KCTV5 News at 4:30 p.m. The company paid a $10,000 fine, and three of the citations were deleted, he said. Officials didn't know exactly how the accident happened because the man was under heavy sedation, but his boss said he was expected to be okay.
Man Dies In Fort Pitt Bridge Project Accident; Bridge Worker Falls From Boat POSTED: 4:47 p.m. EDT August 29, 2003 PITTSBURGH -- A man working on the Fort Pitt Bridge project fell from a boat and drowned Friday afternoon. The 29-year-old victim went to get on a safety boat from scaffolding under the bridge when the boat moved and caused him to fall into the Monongahela River. Pittsburgh river rescue crews pulled the man's body from the river around 12:30 p.m. Friday. He was not wearing a life preserver. The man's name has not been released. He was a worker with an Ohio-based company, L&M Lignos Enterprises. The company was subcontracted by Trumbull to work on the bridge. L&M Lignos has been cited by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration 20 times since 1992. The most serious incident was in 1992. A worker fell from scaffolding in Cleveland and died. OSHA is aware of Friday's death and will inspect the site, but it is not known when officials will go to the area. Stay tuned to Channel 11 News for more on this story.
Construction worker injured in Olathe A construction worker was critically hurt today while working on an expansion of Garmin International, 151st Street and Ridgeview Road in Olathe. The man suffered severe chest injuries about noon and was flown by Lifenet helicopter to a trauma center, said Jeff Johnson of Med-Act. Olathe Fire Department spokesman Mike Hall said the man's injuries did not result from a fall. Hall declined to comment further. The man's name was not released.
Falling steeling beam injures construction workers in Purcellville By Scott Cissel 08/29/2003 Ties-Mirror Staff Two construction workers doing renovations on an old bank building in Purcellville were struck and injured by a falling steel beam Thursday. Brent Ausherman, 26, of Rocky Ridge, Md., received serious injuries and was airlifted to Washington Hospital Center. His co-worker James Vines Jr., 48, had non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Loudoun Hospital Center. The men were building an addition to the former bank, now an office building, in the 110 block of East Main Street.
New building on Iowa campus catches fire By The Associated Press IOWA CITY -- A University of Iowa building with sections still under construction caught fire Friday, forcing the evacuation of a nearby residence hall and two other campus buildings. Investigators said the fire was caused when welding sparks ignited a tarp covering an exterior wall of the 58,000-square-foot Blank Honors Center. There were no reports of civilian injuries, but two firefighters were injured during the three hour battle to control the blaze. Extent of the injuries was not immediately available. Fire officials said Daum Hall, a dormitory designed to be connected to the new $14 million Blank building, was evacuated. The botany and chemistry buildings also were cleared and police also closed several downtown streets to traffic. Several area fire departments were called to the scene about 11:30 a.m. to assist Iowa City firefighters.
N.S. man killed in fall from roof JOSEPH B. NADEAU , Staff Writer 08/29/2003 BELLINGHAM -- A North Smithfield man suffered fatal injuries after falling from a roof at 710 Pulaski Boulevard Thursday. David R. Marchand, 45, of 10 Mill St., had been working on the roof of the three-story home at Pulaski and Brisson Street with other workers from Cote Remodeling Co., when the 2:19 p.m. accident occurred. "He appeared to trip on an air hose on the roof being used in the repairs, lost his balance and slid off the roof," said Bellingham Police Sgt. Peter Lemon. The two-family home was reported to be undergoing a renovation involving the addition of third-floor living space, according to local officials. Marchand suffered severe neck and back trauma in the fall and was initially assisted by local rescue personnel, according to Lemon. A LifeFlight helicopter was called to the scene and a landing zone set up at the South Elementary School, Lemon said. But after the helicopter arrived, the victim’s worsening condition prompted the aircraft’s flight surgeon to recommend ground transport to Landmark Medical Center in Woonsocket, he said. Marchand was pronounced dead at Landmark after an examination in the hospital’s emergency room, he said. The owner of Cote Remodeling was at the scene at the time of the accident, as was the owner of the home, Lemon said. Family members were notified of the accident and responded to the emergency room, he said. The Police Department secured the job site and began an investigation. Participating in the review are the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), State Police Crime Scene Services, Worcester CPAC, and the town building inspector’s office, he said. Lemon said he could not say if any charges would result and noted that OSHA was leading the investigation. "OSHA is there, as we speak, taking measurements," he said. The federal agency could not be reached for comment Thursday night.
Fire slows construction Livingston Fire Department responded to an attic fire at the new apartments on Country Club Drive at 2:53 p.m. on Friday, August 15. Welders working on the apartments, which are not yet complete, accidentally started the fire and then left. Construction workers on the scene called 911. Livingston Fire Department was on the scene within three minutes. According to one firefighter, the attic was engulfed in flames when they arrived and smoke could be seen as far away as Lake LU and the Livingston Fire Department building. Firefighters that responded were Andy Slayton, Antoine Berry, Keith Booker, Dexter Johnson, Chris Scott, Park Edwards, Nancy Larkin, Russell Keene, Erik Shirley and ShyAnn Sasser. Public Safety officers that responded were Chief Ashley Welborn and Josette White. Hiram Patrenos and Brian Crawford own the new apartments, which have not been named yet. Patrenos said that he did not have a dollar figure as to the damage, but said that the fire would set construction back about two months.
Man saved from fallen ditch; Public safety officials seek criminal charges against injured worker By Sasha Talcott, Globe Correspondent, 8/23/2003 As the construction worker sank deeper into a quicksand-like mixture of muddy water and silt, he spoke desperately of two things: his pregnant wife and his young daughter. Buried up to his chest in khaki-colored sludge, he struggled to pull himself out of the 11-foot-deep trench, begging firefighters to help him. But every time he moved, he slipped down deeper. Boston sewer workers started vaccuuming the liquid out of the trench and two firefighters leapt into it, digging at the sludge around him, which was thick and glue-like. Finally they were able to free him. ''We told him we weren't going to get out of that hole unless we took him with us,'' said firefighter Kevin Ranahan. ''The water was burying him.'' The painstaking, nerve-wracking rescue near Dudley and Vine streets in Roxbury required 20 firefighters, emergency, and Boston Water and Sewer workers and took 2 1/2 hours. But the state Executive Office of Public Safety said the accident should never have happened. Commissioner Joseph Lalli said the offie plans to seek criminal charges against the injured worker, who they said was operating excavating machinery at the site without a license. The department is also weighing charges against the company in charge of the project, Free Flow Plumbing and Drain King, which was apparently replacing a sewer line at the scene. ''We have a man who was taken to the hospital with serious injuries,'' Lalli said. ''There are going to be penalties all the way down the road. In today's day and age, when we have made trench safety so important, there is no excuse.'' Four Free Flow Plumbing and Drain King employees at the trench declined comment. A worker in the company's office referred calls back to employees at the scene. It was about 11 a.m. yesterday when the worker, whose name has not been released, was digging near a sewer line at private property near the corner of Dudley and Vine streets in Roxbury. Suddenly, the trench began to sink, filling with water and sludge. Firefighters at the scene said they thought the injured worker or another employee ruptured the sewer line, though investigators are still determining what caused the collapse. When 24 emergency workers arrived, they found three workers in the rapidly filling trench, two attempting to pull the trapped worker to safety. The firefighters instructed two workers who were in a shallow part of the trench to get out, then fitted the trapped worker with an oxygen mask and attached him to a safety harness to prevent him from falling deeper. Even with the harness, the worker was practically glued to the bottom the trench, and firefighters feared they would tear his body into two if they tried to pull him out right away. ''He kept telling me, `Just get me out of here,' '' said firefighter Bob Kilduff. A firefighter said the injured worker had been taken to Boston Medical Center. His condition was not available, but his injuries are not life-threatening, he said. Late yesterday afternoon, officials at the state's public safety office were still trying to determine what had caused the accident. The office will also probe whether the trench, which firefighters said was about 4 feet deep before it sunk, should have had reinforcements to keep it from collapsing. Aaron Peterson, a trench specialist who works with the company United Rentals, said that the men should have reinforced the trench if they were going to be ducking down below ground level. Massachusetts law requires trenches deeper than 5 feet to have some kind of reinforcement, he said. ''It obviously wasn't done, or else they wouldn't have gotten hurt,'' he said.
Crushed worker rescued after accident Aug 22, 2003, 14:19:00 A Black Country worker was taken to hospital by air ambulance today after his legs were crushed by steel which fell on him. An air ambulance landed on a dual-cariageway in Brierley Hill after the 48-year-old man suffered injuries to both legs at J Barnsley Cranes. Emergency services were called to the Pedmore Road Industrial Estate at 11.33am. The helicopter flew the injured man to Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham. Police stopped the traffic in Pedmore Road so that the helicopter could land near to a BP garage. An ambulance crew from Tipton was first on the scene. The injured worker had had both legs caught beneath a 30ft steel box section which had fallen on to him. His colleagues managed to lift the section that weighed more than two tons before a fire crew arrived on scene. He was given pain-killing drugs by paramedics until the air ambulance arrived. No one from the company was available to comment about the accident.
One injured, 12 homeless in South Heights fire; Fire started during construction work causes $25,000 in damage BY PHIL ROCKROHR Times Staff Writer SOUTH CHICAGO HEIGHTS -- One man was injured, 12 people left homeless and $25,000 in damage caused when an apartment building caught fire behind Village Hall Friday morning. About 40 firefighters from at least 11 departments helped extinguish the fire at Eagle Ridge apartments, 3343 Commercial Ave., within 30 minutes, said Larry Nardoni, assistant fire chief of South Chicago Heights. The fire started when workers were soldering pipes in a vacant apartment on the second floor of the two-story building, said Brock Hanna, an owner of the complex. Don Nyblom, a maintenance worker at Eagle Ridge, suffered second- and third-degree burns to his hands trying to extinguish the fire, Hanna said. Nyblom was taken to St. James Hospital and Health Centers in Chicago Heights, Nardoni said. Hospital officials could not be reached for comment Friday afternoon. South Chicago Heights Fire Department received an emergency call about the fire at about 9:14 a.m., Nardoni said. "Our first unit arrived within minutes," he said. "Smoke was coming off of the second floor, from two apartments on the south side of the building. Our people started to attack the fire, and we went to the box (alarm) level due to the heat." Firefighters responded from Crete, Steger, Steger Estates, Sauk Village, Chicago Heights, Park Forest, Lynwood, Homewood, Flossmoor and University Park, Nardoni said. "Everybody else helped out," he said. "Everybody got out of their apartments safely." All of the 10 apartments at 3343 Commercial Ave. suffered smoke damage, and at least four suffered water damage, Nardoni said. Four of the apartments were destroyed and must be rebuilt, Hanna said. Firefighters had to cut a whole in a roof owners just recently installed, he said. Both Hanna and Nardoni estimated the damage at about $25,000. Hanna said he contacted the Red Cross to offer assistance to residents who were displaced. Hanna also offered to help them himself, if possible. Eight apartments must be vacated, he said. "Our tenants are not that well-to-do," Hanna said. "Pretty much all their worthy possessions are here. I don't know who has insurance. We're going to try to help them the best we can." Hanna said he will let residents out of their leases if they want to find new apartments while the damaged units are repaired. "They're our customers," he said. "We've gotten to know quite a few of them and we care about them. Some are very upset, as you can imagine." Residents said they were confident Hanna and other owners would provide accommodations, if necessary. John Quantanilla, 34, whose apartment is next door to the one that caught fire, said he has relatives in South Chicago Heights, if the owners are unable to provide a place for him to stay. Juanita Robson, 58, and Kathy Manley, 54, who also live in the building, said they have renter's insurance that should cover their losses. June Hanaman, 82, who lives on the first floor, said she does not have insurance, but owners of the complex offered to provide accommodations, if necessary.
UPDATE Hewden faces £16m bill over crane deaths PERRY GOURLEY HEWDEN Stuart, the Glasgow plant hire group, faces a damages bill of more than £16m after losing a legal case over a fatal accident. The Court of Appeal has rejected Hewden’s claim over the collapse of a crane at Canary Wharf in 2000, when three workers died. The case is seen as setting a precedent for the way contracts in the construction industry are set up. The appeal had been lodged after the Technology and Construction Court found last November that the company’s former subsidiary, Hewden Tower Cranes, was liable to pay damages to construction groups Cleveland Bridge and Yarm Road following the accident. Hewden appealed on the basis that they were not responsible, since the accident happened during an operation to increase the crane’s height by a process known as ‘climbing’, where extra sections are inserted into it. Roger Stewart QC, counsel for Hewden, argued that under the hiring contract, the erection of the crane which Hewden was responsible for did not include the increase in the height of the crane by climbing. He claimed that it was wrong to say that at the time of the collapse it was still being erected. But the construction firms argued that the climbing process formed part of the crane erection role which Hewden had been responsible for. The original cost of the claim was £8m, but it is now understood the total bill has risen to £16.6m. The damages figure - mainly made up of losses caused to the construction firms - will be considered at another court hearing. As well as the three fatalities, the 150-ton crane’s collapse caused serious injury to two other workers, extensive property damage and substantial delays and disruption to the construction works. It is thought Hewden is considering an appeal against the judgment, which could see it take the case to the House of Lords. The company was not available to comment. The crane was working on the 44-storey HSBC headquarters building at Canary Wharf in Docklands when the accident happened. It was one of five tower cranes hired from Hewden by the construction firms. In their judgment, the appeal court judges stressed there was no implication that the accident was due to actions by Hewden staff, and that the cause of the accident was as yet unknown. The Health and Safety Executive is still investigating the incident, and earlier this year issued an industry discussion paper on the safe use of climbing frames on tower cranes, prompted by the accident. Hewden sold the tower cranes unit to PC Harrington in October last year in a deal thought to be worth £16m, but liability over the court case remained with the Scottish firm. The latest figures show the company made a pre-tax profit of £40.4m last year - a 12% rise on the previous year on turnover up by 4% to £262m. The company’s managing director, Paul Jarvis, recently left his Scottish post after almost three years to become head of the power systems division of Finning, based in Vancouver, Canada. He has been replaced by Nick Lloyd, who was head of Finning UK until 1999 and has recently been running the Canadian group’s business in Chile. Last month the company bought Jersey-based tool hire firm Blandin Light Plant in a £1m deal which it said would move it close to a 30% United Kingdom market share. Hewden Stuart was bought in 2001 by Finning in a £322m agreed takeover deal. The company was founded in 1968 through the merger of Hewden Plant, led by Matthew Goodwin and Frank Jamieson, and Stuart Plant, headed by Ronald Stuart. The firm, which floated at the time of the merger, became the United Kingdom market leader in plant hire.
Crane collapse crushes 5 cars, large truck in Fort Lauderdale By Shannon O'Boye sun-sentinel.com August 21, 2003, 2:59 PM EDT FORT LAUDERDALE -- A large construction crane collapsed on Thursday, crushing five cars and a flatbed truck parked on the ground far below. No injuries were reported. Witnesses said there was no warning. Some compared the sound of the collapse, which lasted for 15 to 20 seconds, to an earthquake. The collapse of the crawler crane occurred around 9:40 a.m. on the 500 block of Northeast Second Avenue where a five-story apartment building is being built. It was not immediately known what caused the accident, which involved a 135-foot tall tower and a 150-ton crane with a 140-foot-long boom, or luffing jib. A sign on the crane said Sims Crane. The crane operator, who was not immediately identified, was lifting a large load of forms when the collapse occurred. He was not injured, but the load of forms, described as the size of a railroad car, dropped to the street below. No other details were immediately available.
Construction Worker Survives 60-Foot Fall Down Cliff MARION COUNTY, Fla. -- A Marion County construction worker is recovering after he fell down a 60-foot cliff. It happened around 10 o'clock Thursday morning at Alliance Construction Materials northwest of Ocala. The man wasn't seriously hurt. The 60-foot drop was steep and covered with cinderblocks. Charles McCrone was supposed to be dumping the blocks. Instead, he and his front-end loader went in. His boss says he never should have been using equipment this heavy. The drop didn't crush the passenger cabin. So, McCrone pried himself from the mangled mess and made it half way up the 80-degree incline. Then he ran out of gas. That's when the technical rescue team arrived. "My initial reaction was how lucky the patient appeared to be, that he was awake and alert and oriented," says rescuer Derek Bracewell. Three rescuers used an elaborate system of ropes to repel down to McCrone. They say he was happy to see them. "He was in good spirits. He just wanted to get out of there, get out of that situation," says rescuer Scott Ramage. The rescuers used something called a Stokes basket. They strapped him in tightly so he couldn't move much, in case he broke his back or neck, while the firefighters gingerly moved McCrone into the basket on the steep cliff. The cinder block footing couldn't have been less stationary. Rescuers say many of their steps sent the blocks tumbling to the bottom. "If you're not 100 percent on your game, you're going to the bottom, just like the front-end loader," says Bracewell. Once McCrone was strapped in, it was up to another team on level ground. They were able to get McCrone safely to the top and on to a hospital. The Marion County firefighters involved go through hundreds of hours of training for rescues like these.
Construction worker dies after collapsing at college 08/21/03 Staff Report A construction worker collapsed Tuesday while working on a project at Spring Hill College and later died, college officials said. Juan O. Casilla, 47, who lived in Gastonia, N.C., was pronounced dead at Springhill Medical Center following his 3 p.m. collapse, according to Greg Walker, a spokesman for the college. Casilla, originally from Mexico, was working on a concrete project on the third floor of the structure. He had to be removed from the library by crane. Casilla was employed by a subcontractor, Walker said Tuesday.
Worker rescued from hole By LEN MANIACE THE JOURNAL NEWS (Original publication: August 21, 2003) RYE — Emergency crews yesterday rescued a masonry worker who was trapped in a nearly 9-foot-deep hole for more than 2 1/2 hours after the excavation walls collapsed. Joseph Malone of Port Chester was hoisted from the hole at 12:40 p.m. alongside a home at 140 Soundview Ave., where he had been making waterproofing repairs to a foundation, Police Commissioner Williams Connors said. Malone, said to be in his 60s, is employed by Ox Masonry of Greenwich, Conn. Malone was buried only to his waist, but the rescue was a painstaking one because officials feared the narrow hole, which measured approximately 2 feet by 5 feet, would collapse further. "All he said was 'Get me out' and 'Be careful,' " said police Officer Julio Rossi, among the first emergency workers to arrive. Malone was taken to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, but a report on his condition was not available; a spokeswoman cited the new federal medical privacy law. Malone appeared to be in good condition when he was removed from the hole, Connors said. Dozens of emergency workers from Rye, Port Chester, New Rochelle and Greenburgh participated in the elaborate effort. Malone was quickly placed in a harness that hung from the end of a firetruck ladder that extended over the hole, while workers used wood planks to shore up the hole against further collapse. Malone was given an air mask to help with his breathing, a fan blew fresh, cooling air into the hole and he was later given intravenous fluids to prevent dehydration. Various pumps, excavation equipment and additional rescue workers stood ready in a front yard, where black-eyed Susans, phlox and marigolds bloomed. Emergency trucks waited on Soundview Avenue, a dead-end street off Boston Post Road adjacent to the Rye Golf Club. Overhead, three helicopters from television stations hovered. Because the hole was so small, Malone had to help with his own rescue, using a small shovel to remove some of the soil that pinned him. The mishap is under investigation by the federal Occupation, Safety, and Health Administration and the Rye Building Department, Connors said. The accident might have been prevented, Connors said, if the sides of the deep and narrow hole had been shored up before Malone and another worker began the waterproofing job. The other worker was not in the hole at the time of the collapse. "That's how these things happen," Connors said. "They take a chance; they don't think about the danger."
Fire breaks out in Delhi cinema hall Wednesday, 20 August , 2003, 16:08 New Delhi: A minor fire broke out on Wednesday at a cinema hall being demolished for Delhi Metro construction in West Delhi. The fire erupted in the sound-proofing system of Vivek Cinema in Patel Nagar area at 0900hrs Wednesday morning. The cinema hall was vacant as it was being demolished for the construction of Barahkhamba-Dwarka metro line and hence there were no casualities. "Fifteen fire tenders immediately rushed to the spot as it was a fire in the hall and they worked till 1320hrs to ensure that the blaze was completely put down," fire department sources told UNI. They said that the fire broke out when the metro workers were carrying out welding in the empty cinema hall. However, according to Delhi Metro spokesman Anuj Dayal the minor fire broke out in the sound-proofing system of the hall and it was 'brought under control within five minutes.'
UPDATE Kentucky Construction Worker Dies After Accident Man Suffers Injuries Monday A Kentucky road worker has died from injuries he suffered while working on a street in Villa Hills, Ky., a suburb of Cincinnati. Frank Chandler, 58, of Independence, Ky., was standing between two trucks on state Route 8 Tuesday morning when one of them was hit by an oncoming car. Chandler got trapped in the middle. The driver of the car has not been charged.
Under construction medical college building roof caves in KOCHI: The roof of the power station building of the Kochi Cooperative Medical College (CMC), Kalamassery, being constructed, caved in on Tuesday night, allegedly after some outside elements removed supporting poles at the site. Work on the roof was completed at around 5 p.m. on Monday and it collapsed at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday. It is alleged that an ongoing dispute between the construction company and some outside forces over the awarding of a sub-contract had led to the `sabotage'. The construction company has now registered a complaint with the Kalamassery police for arresting those behind the antisocial act. Cooperation Minister M V Raghavan, however, has issued directions to continue with the works so as to complete them before September. Co-operative Academy of Professional Education project engineer, P J Jose Maria, who is in charge of the construction activities at CMC, said that there is no possibility of an accident occurring due to technical problems. He refuted allegations that the supporting poles did not have the sufficient strength to hold the concrete mixture. If the poles did not have sufficient capacity, they would have collapsed when several workers were carrying out the works on top of the ceiling, he said. ``It takes around two hours for the concrete mixture to settle initially and eight hours to settle finally. During this time, the weight decreases and there is no possibility of roof collapse due to technical reasons,'' he added. Several persons, with the backing of various political leaders, had approached the college authorities requesting to award them sub-contract for the works. The construction company had to turn away several people as they could not meet the eligibility criteria. Kalamassery Municipal councillor, P P Ramakrishnan, who represents the ward where the medical college is coming up, expressed doubts over the whole episode. ``The contractor removed the debris soon after the roof collapsed. If there was any foul-play, they would have conducted an investigation,'' he said. Shilpy Constructions Managing Director F Edision said that the works have to be completed by September and here was not much time to wait for an investigation. There were several attempts from `outside forces' to disrupt the works. Someone might have purposefully removed the poles of the ceiling to tarnish the image of the construction company and delay the works, he said. According to the present plan, work on the four blocks, including the administrative block, would be completed by September. The construction company will concentrate on two out-patient departments and a teaching block after that. The Rs 50-crore construction work is expected to be completed by the end of this academic year and the medical college with 500-bed capacity will become operational by that time. Meanwhile, the dispute between the Co-operative Medical College and the Kalamassery Municipality over the permit fee for the construction is still continuing. Earlier, Kalamassery Municipal Chairman had stayed the construction and later allowed to resume the work, till a final decision is taken by the Local Administration Ministry. SECURITY TIGHTENED: Following the collapse of the roof, the medical college authorities have decided to strengthen the security arrangements at the spot, especially during night. At present there is only one security guard and two more persons will be deployed with immediate effect. Steps would also be taken to complete the compound wall immediately, they said.
Crane tips over; causes minor injuries By Bill Bryan Post-Dispatch 08/18/2003 Two construction workers were injured at about 7:30 a.m. today when a crane tipped over into a building site where they were working. The accident occurred in the Park View Estates subdivision on Kiefer Creek Road in Ellisville, police said. The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, said Ellisville Police Chief Wayne Prince. One workman sustained a cut on his leg and was taken to St. John's Medical Center in Creve Coeur. The other workman had a bloody nose and a back injury; his status was unclear, Prince said. The two men were on the second floor of an apartment building under construction and were receiving a pallet of plywood from a crane when the crane tipped over and struck the building, Prince said. The crane's stabilizer legs had not been spread out, Prince said.
Mason dies after falling 10 feet at construction site Tuesday, August 19, 2003 Daily News staff A construction worker died after falling about 10 feet Monday afternoon in East Naples, officials with the Collier County Sheriff's Office said. The worker was identified as 40-year-old Gumaro Rodriguez of 478 Mississippi Ave., Fort Myers. Sheriff's officials said Rodriguez fell at 12:37 p.m. Monday at 3919 Forest Glen Blvd. and was pronounced dead by paramedics. Rodriguez worked as a mason for a construction company. Investigators said Rodriguez was moving concrete blocks on the second story of a home under construction when he fell through an opening in the floor and struck his head. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the government agency that oversees workplace safety, was notified Monday. An OSHA representative was expected to arrive in Collier County sometime Monday to investigate, officials said. Officials said they did not know the name of the company for which Rodriguez worked.
No injuries in Thursday fire A structure fire Thursday afternoon near Seafield resulted in property damage but no injuries. At approximately 1:15 p.m. Thursday, the Wolcott Fire Department responded to a report of a fire in a swine barn at the Irvin and Shirley Furrer farm, County Road 2357 N-600 W, about a mile north of US 24 and two miles east of Wolcott. The Reynolds Volunteer Fire Department and Remington Volunteer Fire Department responded with tanker and pumper trucks and mutual aid. According to Wolcott Assistant Fire Chief Jack Buntin, the floor of the building was being redone, so no animals were inside the building at the time of the fire. The fire is believed to have been caused by a stray spark from a welder, he said. “They took all the precautions they could,” said Wolcott Assistant Chief Jack Buntin. “It was just one of those freak things.” No damage estimate was available Thursday.
Worker dies after fall in Talcher ANGUL, Aug. 17. — In yet another fatal accident, a 35-year-old contractual worker Srikanta Kumar Lenka died after falling down from a height of 40 m at a bunker located at Unit-4 of Talcher-Kaniha Power Project. He was working as a welder in Endfab Company, engaged in construction of Talcher Super Thermal Power Project. He had no safety belt despite repeated warning to the agencies, police said. The incident occurred on Saturday. Injuries on his head, he succumbed on way to hospital. — SNS
Worker Injured In Scaffolding Collapse Dies; Officials Investigate Cause Of Scaffolding Collapse POSTED: 1:39 p.m. EDT August 15, 2003 MADISON, N.C. -- A worker critically injured when scaffolding on a Rockingham County water tower collapsed has died, authorities said Friday. The man who fell was identified as Pedro Hernandez Encarnacion, 34. He was flown to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, where he died, according to a hospital spokeswoman, who wouldn't say when the death occurred. Two other men dangling from ropes when the scaffolding fell Thursday later were rescued by emergency workers at the tower, located at the intersection of U.S. 220 and N.C. 704 just east of Madison, according to authorities. One of the workers who dangled from the scaffolding, identified as Victor Estrada, 35, was taken to Moses Cone Hospital in Greensboro. A hospital spokesman said Estrada was in good condition Friday with minor injuries. The second worker didn't require treatment. The cause of the scaffolding collapse was unclear Thursday.
Cave-in Accidents Kill 4,Injure 13 in NE Province Four people were confirmed dead Sunday as a result of cave-in accidents at two construction sites in this capital of the northeastern province of Heilongjiang Saturday. The accidents, which occurred almost simultaneously around 19:30 Saturday, also injured 13 people and trapping more. Quite a few builders were working in the subbasement of Renhe Century Square project when an accident occurred, killing three people and injuring eight. Witnesses heard a rolling sound before the ground with an area of some 50 square meters suddenly caved in and saw some passers-byfalling into the sunken area. The exact number of people trapped underground and causes for the accident are still under investigation. The other accident in Harbin Engineering University killed one person and injured five. Officials from the Heilongjiang Provincial Government and Harbin City Government are coordinating rescue efforts at the accident sites.
GAS LEAK QUICKLY CONTAINED; AFTER WORKERS SNAG LINE STAFF August 15, 2003 A gas leak on North Grand Street, caused when workers moved a construction refuse bin was quickly contained, city officials said. The accident occurred around noon when Tyler Solid Waste workers were removing a temporary construction container, or roll-off box, from 1010 N. Grand St., where PSC Construction was working on a house. "When we pulled the roll-off box it hung up on the gas line," said Todd Lestage, Tyler Solid Waste special projects coordinator. "We immediately called the gas company and the fire department got there and everything got taken care of." Lestage said the city places the container where the contractor wants, and the gas line was only about 8 to 10 inches underground at that location. No injuries were reported.
UPDATE Truck fire claims life of 2nd man; Survivor recalls spilled lacquer By John Tuohy and Tom Spalding August 14, 2003 A second man has died of injuries he suffered when a paint truck caught fire on I-465 late last month. Officials said Otis Turner, 46, Indianapolis, died Tuesday in a Fort Wayne hospital, where a few of the burn victims were taken. Eight co-workers remained hospitalized Wednesday, and three have been released. Meanwhile, one of the men injured in the inferno said Wednesday that painting crew members were smoking in the tightly packed vehicle when the fire started. "There were a few of us smoking, I'm sure. You know, (because) we all smoke," said painter Tom McElroy, 26, who was released Wednesday from Methodist Hospital. He was interviewed by The Indianapolis Star's news-gathering partner, WTHR (Channel 13). Indiana State Police are investigating whether any of the 13 painters who were crowded in the back of the truck are criminally responsible for causing the blaze. Police said the investigation was focusing on the intent of the person whose cigarette or lighter caused the fire. The men were seated in the cargo area, where paint supplies were stored. The fire occurred July 29. "Was it the innocent lighting of the cigarette or was it something else?" State Police Sgt. Dave Bursten asked. Investigators have to determine whether the person who started the fire knew there was a reasonable chance his action could result in injury. If so, charges could be brought against him. McElroy said he believed the fire was simply an accident. "No, it wasn't nothing intentional," he said. "Not to my knowledge, it wasn't nothing intentional, anyway." McElroy, who suffered second- and third-degree burns on his legs, hands, arms, shoulder and face and has undergone skin grafts, said the fire started when a can of lacquer spilled. "I remember the flames going up and me trying to get out of there," he said. He is recovering at home. It could be months before the State Police investigation is complete, Bursten said. The pace has been slow because fire investigators and police have been unable to interview most of the painters, many of whom face long hospital stays and multiple surgeries. Six of the eight who remain hospitalized are in critical condition. The men worked for RPT Painting of Franklin. The blaze ignited as the truck was traveling south on I-465 on the Southwestside. Allen County Deputy Coroner Ralph Taylor said Turner died at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in St. Joseph Hospital in Fort Wayne. The preliminary cause of death was undetermined burn injuries, Taylor said. Turner was single and had no children. He grew up in Saginaw, Mich., where he worked for years as a welder, said his sister, Inez Tyson, of Saginaw. "He was a great brother," said Tyson, 47, one of four siblings in the family. "He had this great big smile and was a very giving person." She said she was angry about the circumstances of her brother's death. "I think it was terrible to have them all crammed in back there with all those chemicals and no ventilation," she said. Two of the victims, Daniel Maple, 32, and J.R. Bryant, 20, both of Indianapolis, are suing RPT, alleging that negligence by the company led to the fire. Another victim, John W. Webster III, 30, Greenwood, died July 29, the fire's first fatality. Besides McElroy, two others, Josh Littleton, 27, and Charlie Newell, 18, both of Indianapolis, have been released from hospitals.
Update Dump truck driver won't be charged in death of worker Associated Press GAFFNEY, S.C. - A dump truck driver who struck and killed a worker at a road construction site will not be charged, the Highway Patrol says. Buford Phillips, 57, was backing up a state-owned dump truck hauling 8 tons of asphalt Monday morning when he hit 46-year-old David Allen Stapleton, a flag man for the state Transportation Department. Phillips said the alarm that was supposed to sound when he backed the truck up was not working when he struck Stapleton. The alarm was working when his shift began, Phillips said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident, spokesman Jim Knight said. The agency requires certain vehicles at construction sites to have an alarm that sounds when the truck is in reverse, Knight said. Those alarms must be tested regularly, he said. Information from: Herald-Journal
Two Hurt in Gas Line Accident; Fire department says plumbing crew caused pipe to blow up By Mark Hall Two Shoreline Plumbing workers were injured Wednesday after they accidentally ignited as natural gas line between 1995 and 2005 Moyo Drive. According to the Lake Havasu City Fire Department, the workers were sweating a water line with a torch. Believing that an adjacent pipe was a water bubbler line, they continued their work until the line blew up. River Medical transported one worker to Havasu Regional Medical Center for moderate burns he suffered to the face and hands, fire personnel said. The other worker stayed at the scene. Flames spewed out of the hole in the ground from 8:33 to 10:10 a.m., before UniSource Energy Services (formerly Citizens Arizona Gas) workers and firefighters smothered the flames with water and clamped the gas line. The hole was located south of two apartment buildings that were evacuated by the fire department. Workers attempted to gain access to the line by digging a hole into the pavement on Moyo Drive, which was located in front of the leak. However, they were unable to find the line, therefore the smother and clamp procedure was executed. While flames spewed out of the ground, firefighters sprayed nearby vegetation to prevent it from being damaged by the heat.
Worker Rescued From Largo Metro Project; Steel Beam Hits Man In Tunnel LARGO, Md. -- Emergency workers in Prince George's County pulled off a tricky rescue Thursday. A large steel beam was being moved by a crane when it struck a construction worker. He was injured and trapped in a large trench the site of the future MetroRail Blue Line track to Largo. Rescuers went down into the trench and treated the man. Then they removed him from the area using a rescue basket and a crane. The injured man was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Two rescued from Commerce trench collapse (Commerce-AP) -- Two men were rescued in Commerce Thursday morning after a trench they were working in collapsed. The men's names were immediately released. Commerce Police say the two were repairing sewer lines in a 10-foot trench behind a bank when the walls caved in. Commerce is located in the Tar Creek area where sink holes and mine collapses have occurred after years of lead and zinc mining.
Prince William school catches fire during construction Associated Press August 14, 2003 HAYMARKET -- A high school under construction in Prince William County caught fire when a worker accidentally ignited foam insulation on the roof. A plumber using a cutting torch lit the petroleum-based insulation at about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, said Battalion Chief C. Hadden Culp of the Prince William Department of Fire and Rescue. It took 60 firefighters from Prince William, Loudoun, Fauquier and Fairfax counties and Manassas one hour to control the fire, which destroyed a stack of insulation and charred the roof. The side of the building sustained heavy smoke stains. Damage costs were not available. The unnamed school is in the Dominion Valley area north of Haymarket. A high school under construction in Woodbridge also caught fire in May when a worker accidentally ignited foam insulation. Part of the roof at that school was destroyed. No one was hurt in either fire.
UPDATE AGL fined $100,000 over electrocution Energy retailer AGL Electricity was fined $100,000 for safety breaches which led to the electrocution of a 36-year-old Melbourne carpenter. Paul Psaila received a fatal electric shock when he touched a piece of metal carrying a 240-volt current from a live electricity cable attached to the garage roof of a suburban Rosanna home unit on February 9, 1999. But outside the court, the victim's widow, mother of three daughters Marie Psaila, said she thought the punishment "grossly inadequate, given that what happened cost my darling Paul his life". But she said even if the firm had been fined the maximum of $250,000, it still would not be enough. "There is no adequate (monetary) penalty for a company like AGL -- the true punishment is in the conviction." She said her youngest daughter, the then four-year-old Madeleine, who witnessed the accident needed psychotherapy treatment for two years and suffered from post traumatic stress disorder. Judge Michael Strong in the Victorian County Court said work on installing the cable had been carried out by two qualified and experienced linesmen seven weeks before Mr Psaila died. "On this occasion the job was done incompetently," the judge said. Insulation on the cable became damaged and a metal bracket "charged with electricity became a death trap". Mr Psaila died when he touched the bracket. The judge said the two linesmen, who were not charged with any offence, were men of experience and their work involved, or should have involved, checking the connection. There was a need for electricity suppliers to realise that linesmen, however competent and experienced, will occasionally make mistakes with potentially lethal consequences, Justice Strong said. It was clear that what was lacking was an independent system of inspection, the judge said. "The court must respond to the jury's verdict by sending a clear message to this industry that more rigorous scrutiny is required of work by linesmen," he said. AGL was last week convicted by a jury of failing to ensure that people other than its employees were not exposed to health and safety risks. The maximum fine for the offence is $250,000. The judge said it would be wrong to impose the maximum sentence because the breaches were not "blatant". After the sentencing, WorkSafe Victoria executive director John Merritt said: "This case supports WorkSafe's proposition that it is practicable to have a system for auditing and inspecting the installation of power cables and that doing these things can save lives." "Our concern is that this is a real public safety issue. In this case, the actions of AGL Electricity put others at risk and resulted in a man dying." A spokeswoman for AGL said the company had no comment to make on the sentencing remarks made by the judge.
Ivy Tech Construction Worker Injured Web Producer: Kerry Corum A construction worker was hurt after cutting through a live electrical wire at Evansville's Ivy Tech State college. The unidentified worker was taken to the hospital for observation. He works for a Michigan company, and company officials say the injuries are not life threatening. Authorities were told, the man was cutting through wiring in the ceiling of a building that's being rennovated, when the accident occured.
UPDATE Judge: Contractor liable in pedestrian bridge collapse August 13, 2003, 3:43 PM EDT UTICA, N.Y. -- The general contractor working on a pedestrian bridge that collapsed last October, killing one construction worker, is liable for injuries suffered by another worker, according to a court ruling. A decision last week by State Supreme Court Justice Robert Julian found that Department of Transportation employee Theodore Fox Jr. fell 30 feet from an elevated work site that did not have required safety devices. The bridge wasn't properly shored and braced to prevent its collapse, Julian said. That makes Tioga Construction Co. of Herkimer liable for Fox's injuries under New York State Labor Law, Julian ruled in a decision released Tuesday. Fox and seven others were injured when the 170-foot bridge twisted, buckled and collapsed 20 feet to the ground on Oct. 10. Fox is suing Tioga for $70 million. According to his lawsuit, Fox broke his pelvis, dislocated his right shoulder and broke a bone in his left arm. Another worker, Scott Couchman, died in the collapse. Terence Hannigan, the lawyer for Tioga, said the company disagreed with Julian. "This isn't a situation where these people weren't given proper safety equipment," Hannigan said. "This is a case in which the structure they were hired to build failed through no fault of Tioga or the men and woman standing on it." Hannigan said he expected to appeal. Seven other lawsuits by those injured in the collapse have been filed in the Court of Claims in Albany. They range from $25 million to $50 million. In New York, workers' compensation law prevents a worker from directly suing his employer in cases such as the bridge collapse. That means Fox couldn't sue the state since he worked for DOT. The plans for the pedestrian bridge have been scrapped. It was part of a highway project about 45 miles east of Syracuse. The bridge was being built over a new section of a four-lane highway, a project that started in the late 1970s and is expected to be completed next year.
UPDATE Workers recover bulldozer from park lake People leaned against trucks and lined up lawn chairs Tuesday morning to watch the recovery of a 20-ton bulldozer from the south lake of the former Hallett's Quarry. And as thick cables from three heavy-duty wreckers hauled the rig out of 30 feet of water some 50 feet from the shoreline, the joke of the day was the big fish that could be caught at the new Ada Hayden Heritage Park. It was during construction of the new park that the accident occurred Monday morning. David Wood, an employee of Peterson Contractors, Inc. of Reinbeck, was using the bulldozer to push a boulder down the bank of the lake when he came too close to the edge and lost control. City officials say the bulldozer went under water with Wood in the cab. He was able to free himself and swim to the surface without injury. Wood's age and hometown are unknown. Cordell Peterson, owner of Peterson Contractors, was unavailable for comment. Employees at the company's headquarters and at the recovery site also declined comment. Tuesday's ecovery took hours. A diver went down, then marked the site of the rig with a small buoy about 50 feet from shore. A skiff was sent out to stretch the finger-thick cables, then a diver attached the cables to the bulldozer. The three wreckers worked together to drag the bulldozer to shore. "It was really in there good," said Jim Hanifen, owner of Hanifen Inc., of Des Moines. "It as at a 45-degree incline, and pulled up a lot of concrete and other (debris)."Hanifen said this was not the first time he has orchestrated an underwater rescue. The cost of the recovery will be less than $5,000, he said. Peterson Contractors is responsible for all recovery costs. The bulldozer, a Caterpillar D6R tractor, has a standard operating weight of 40,400 pounds, according to Caterpillar, Inc., offices in Peoria, Ill. The cost of the basic machine is between $220,000 to $225,000. Official details of the accident are still unclear, since the first emergency call Monday was placed to Story County Sheriff's Office instead of th mes Police Department, which has jurisdiction in the area. The first vehicles on the scene were Gilbert First Responders and county deputies. By the time an Ames officer arrived, the scene had cleared, according to Loras Jaeger, Ames Chief of Police. "There was some confusion," Jaeger said. "Not all the (Story County) deputies realize that is our area."
Gas line accident Portland forces evacuations By SOPHIA TAREEN The Courier-Journal More than two dozen people were evacuated from their homes this morning after construction workers hit a gas line in the Portland neighborhood, according to Capt. Ronel Brown of Louisville Fire & Rescue. About 9:30 a.m. workers for Tom Brown Construction Inc., who were working on 19th Street near Duncan Street, accidentally hit a two-inch plastic gas line, said Doug Bennett, a spokesman for Louisville Gas and Electric Co. The contractor, working for Louisville Water Co., was putting in a new water service for an apartment building in the area, said Barbara Crow a spokeswoman for the water company. Louisville Fire and Rescue evacuated homes within a block of the gas line break, Brown said. Residents, many in their pajamas, waited outside for about an hour and half while LG&E worked on installing a replacement gas line. Dominique Miller, who lives in a house at 303 N. 19th St., adjacent to the site of the break, said that she was sleeping when she heard a loud noise about 9:30 a.m. She said she evacuated a couple of minutes later.
Roof work sparks fire at SE Portland school 08/13/03 LYS MENDEZ Fire investigators say a four-alarm fire Monday at Binnsmead Middle School was started by roofing contractors using a propane torch to apply roofing materials. Jack Finders, spokesman for the Portland Fire and Rescue Bureau, said the fire smoldered for several hours before burning through the roof. Because the fire was confined to the auditorium roof, school will start as scheduled on Sept. 3, said Lew Frederick, Portland Public Schools spokesman. Finders said the fire did $1.5 million in structural damage plus $300,000 in damage to the contents of the Southeast Portland school. Most of the damage inside the auditorium was caused by water. This was the seventh school fire, some intentionally set, in the Portland and Vancouver areas in the past year. Portland schools are self-insured, but Frederick said MacDonald Welte, the roofing contractor, is expected to cover the costs of this fire. Construction crews were working on a $2 million project to repair the roof at Binnsmead and were almost done with the auditorium, said Pam Brown, director of facilities at the school. Brown said two months' worth of work on the auditorium was lost. Workers had attached flashing to the roof, heating it with torches to make the self-adhesive backing stick, before leaving the site at 3 p.m. Monday. The Fire Bureau received a call about the fire at 6:10 p.m. and arrived at 2225 S.E. 87th Ave. in four minutes. Only two small classrooms and office space in the back of the auditorium were damaged, making it unlikely that the school year will be delayed, Frederick said. "We still have to determine how safe the school is," he said. "We have to do air monitoring and check the structure, but this will be taking place over the next few days." About 770 sixth- through eighth-graders attend the school. About 45 percent speak English as a second language, presenting school officials with the challenge of sending out notices to families who speak more than 22 languages, Frederick said. A hot line will be available for parents who want information about the fire in the five primary languages of the school: English, Spanish, Cantonese, Russian and Vietnamese. Frederick said Monday's school fire has caused the most damage, surpassing the $1 million in damage caused by a fire at Lent Elementary in Southeast Portland on Feb. 17. The cause of that three-alarm fire was determined to be arson. No arrests have been made in connection with the Lent fire. Binnsmead's auditorium is used at the beginning of the school year for welcoming assemblies, which now will take place in the cafeteria or the gym, Frederick said. Monday's fire was fought from the sides of the auditorium because firefighters couldn't determine how much weight the roof could hold, making it difficult to contain the fire. A trench was cut in the middle of the roof, and the fire was controlled at 7:56 p.m. A firefighter cut his hand, but there were no serious injuries. Frederick said that staff and parents were at the scene Monday night to express their support to the school. "This is a close-kni community," he said, "and this is going to pull the community closer together."
Fire breaks out at Motera Express News Service Ahmedabad, August 11: A fire broke out at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium at Motera on Monday afternoon destroying more than 200 discarded wooden and plastic chairs and other material. Besides, the transformer room of the stadium was partially damaged in the incident. However, nobody was reported injured. According to Ahmedabad Fire Brigade (AFB), the fire was caused when a burning piece of metal fell on the chairs and fibre and plastic sheets near the scoreboard where some electric welding work was in progress. In minutes, all the inflammable material stored near the scoreboard, on the western end of the stadium, caught fire. The fire brigade used three fire tenders, six water tankers and more than fifty to put out the flames in about 45 minutes. According to fire brigade officials, the fire was caused as the workers, engaged in the electric welding work, had not taken care to remove the inflammable materials away from the vicinity of their place of work. A statement released later in the day by President of the Gujarat Cricket Association Narhari Amin said the fire had caused a loss of about Rs 20,000-25,000. However, GSA’s Honorary Secretary Vikram Patel said there was no negligence on part of any staff working at the stadium and it was merely an accident.
Construction Worker Survives 60-Foot Fall From Scaffolding COCOA, Fla. -- Cocoa firefighters claim a construction worker is lucky to be alive after he fell more than 60 feet this morning. Not strange enough? Read more strange news from WFTV.com. He was working on some scaffolding at the Whitley Bay Condominium project in Cocoa. Firefighters were amazed that the man may have only a severely broken leg. Apparently he hit one of the balconies on the way down. That may have broken his fall before he hit the sand. There's no word on what led to the accident.
Construction worker injured in fall By OREN DORELL, STAFF WRITER RALEIGH -- The N.C. Department of Labor is investigating a construction worker's fall early today while working on the Glenwood Avenue bridge over Wade Avenue. Orlando Leon Sattlerwhite, 48, of Warrenton was admitted to WakeMed with a back injury, according to a police report. The incident occurred at about 1:13 a.m. on the 1400 block of Glenwood Avenue. Sattlerwhite was working for C.C. Mangum Contractors LLC of Raleigh, according to the report.
Workers injured in truck accident By Bill Ruthhart August 12, 2003 Three concrete workers were hospitalized Monday after the truck they were riding in ran off a rural Hamilton County road. Sheriff's Maj. Mark Bowen said the box truck was southbound on Spring Mill Road just before 7:30 a.m. when it slid off the west side of the road after passing a mo-ped. Bowen said the driver then overcorrected, and the truck crashed into the ditch on the road's east side. Police said the driver, 37-year-old Vitalino Jimenes-Arenas, was airlifted to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. His condition was not available Monday afternoon. The driver's son, 22-year-old Jose Jimenes-Arenas, and Lorenso Bastanante-Lopez, 35, were taken to Methodist by ambulance. Their conditions also were not available Monday. Bowen said Jose Jimenes-Arenas was complaining of pain all over his body, while Bastanante-Lopez had lower back pain, injuries to his arms and glass in his eye. Both passengers were conscious, and the driver was semiconscious when he was airlifted, police said. The three worked for Custom Concrete and were on their way to a job, Bowen said. Officials from the Westfield company refused to comment on the accident Monday afternoon. Bowen said the three workers had been sitting in the front seat of the truck. Police had no estimate as to how fast the vehicle was moving in the 40 mph speed zone.
Trench accident WALTHAM -- Richard A. Kelly, 22 of Faribault, was injured Monday evening in a drainage trench accident. According to a Mower County Sheriff's Office report, Kelly was part of a crew working for Hodgman Drainage at the new municipal sanitary sewer project at Waltham. The mishap occurred while the workers were digging a trench near 8 p.m. Monday, according to the report. He was first attended at the scene by a Hayfield Ambulance Service crew and then flown by Mayo One to Saint Mary's Hospital, Rochester.
Workers Rescued From Collapsed Trench; Two Men Trapped As Trench Walls Cave In CHICAGO -- A trench collapse on the city's north side Tuesday afternoon trapped two city workers. Emergency workers succeeded in pulling both men from the trench in a methodical rescue effort, according to Tom LaPorte, with the Chicago Water Department. Both rescued workers were taken by ambulance to Illinois Masonic Hospital. Three ambulances were initially called to a construction site near Wilson and Kedzie avenues following the collapse of the walls of the trench in which the men were working. The workers were reportedly buried up to their waists and unable to remove themselves from the trench. Firefighters trained in subterrain rescue have begun working to extract the workers. NBC5 reported that the effort was complicated by the threat of further collapse of the already compromised trench walls.
Bulldozer sinks to bottom of park lake By: Beth Anderson, Staff Writer August 12, 2003 A bulldozer overshot a ledge on the shore of the southern lake at the former Hallet's Quarry and landed under 12-feet of water late Monday morning. The driver was not injured. The accident happened in the southeast corner of the southern lake, near U.S. Highway 69, where crews are stabilizing the shore of the lake as part of the creation of Ada Hayden Heritage Park. "As the bulldozer moved out to push a boulder (toward the lake), he got too far out, and the shore gave way," said Paul Weigand, director of Ames' public works department. The water level in that area is estimated to be 20 feet deep. The equipment is owned by Peterson Contractors, Inc., or PCI, a Reinbeck construction firm contracted by the City of Ames to build the 437-acre park. PCI is responsible for removing the equipment from the lake and any environmental clean-up, which should be minimal, Weigand said. PCI declined to comment when contacted this morning. Recovery of the bulldozer was expected sometime today. Divers had arrived at the lake by mid-morning. The bulldozer had been involved in the process of installing a pump on the south lake. The pump will be used to lower the lake level so that crews can stabilize the banks. Weigand said he was not too surprised that a bulldozer had gone into the water. "Because of the gravel mining and sand mining (at the old quarry), the banks drop off immediately," he said. "That's why we won't allow swimming in the area." Ada Hayden will be a passive recreation park, with facilities for boating and fishing. There will be no swimming area and no playground.
Lightning Strikes Worker At Local High School A bolt of lightning struck DeLand High School on Monday afternoon. A construction worker says he felt a high voltage jolt. The electrician was treated on the scene. He was working on the school's new auditorium when he felt the shock. The first day of class at DeLand High School always exciting, but never like this. Students may not have seen it, but many of them heard it. It didn't hit the school, but close enough. It hit an electrical contractor working on the new auditorium nearby. The strange thing is, he was actually inside the building when he was hit. There is a roof on the building, but it's not finished. It's made of metal; that's how it conducted the electricity to his body. The worker said he felt his body tingle. He immediately got off the lift and went for help. We're told the worker recovered quickly and was back to work about an hour later.
SCDOT Worker Killed Near Blacksburg; Fellow Worker Runs Over Victim With Dump Truck POSTED: 2:04 p.m. EDT August 11, 2003 BLACKSBURG, S.C. - A South Carolina Department of Transportation worker is dead after an accident near Blacksburg. It happened around 8:45 this morning on Bluebird Lane. Troopers told WYFF News 4 that Buford W. Phillips of Gaffney was backing up a dump truck loaded with eight tons of asphalt when he ran over another DOT worker. The worker was pronounced dead at the scene. He has not yet been identified. No charges have been filed. Stay tuned to WYFF News 4 and TheCarolinaChannel.com for the latest information.
Injured construction worker released from Medical Center By Brad Greenberg DAILY BRUIN REPORTER A construction worker at the Physics and Astronomy Building work site was released from the hospital Saturday after being pinned by a forklift Aug. 4. The accident happened around 12:30 p.m. when Anthony Roman, 22, an employee of glass contracting company Marc Anthony Glazing, attempted to stabilize the forklift's load of more than 30 panes of glass, according to witnesses at the scene. "I just stopped for a minute, and the next thing I knew I was caught under (the forklift)," Roman said Aug. 7 from the intensive care unit at the UCLA Medical Center. According to an investigation by the California Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Roman was pulled under the forklift when his right foot interfered with the tire tread as the forklift wheeled around the perimeter of the construction project. Roman said his legs suffered no injuries other than a dull aching, but the driver side's front tire broke seven ribs and his left shoulder. The right side of his face was forced against the ground, leaving him bleeding from his mouth, nose and ears, according to CAL OSHA. Roman was in critical condition when he arrived at UCLA Medical Center. Amy Waddell, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said patients who are in critical condition display unstable vital signs, may be unconscious or are in jeopardy of dying. The accident occurred a week after Marc Anthony Glazing arrived on campus to install windows in the new Physics and Astronomy Building. The forklift was driven by David Strobridge, another employee of Marc Anthony Glazing, according to CAL OSHA. Strobridge did not return multiple phone calls for comment last week. CAL OSHA investigator Jose Cedro said it is not clear what caused the accident and that his investigation is focusing on whether Marc Anthony Glazing is at fault. The owner of Marc Anthony Glazing could not be reached for comment after several phone calls last week. Though Roman said he was scared when he was trapped under the forklift and bleeding heavily, he is not upset about what happened. "I'm over it; accidents happen," he said. "The important thing is I am alive." Accidents regularly happen on construction sites, but they're rarely of this caliber, Cedro said. "I have seen several accidents with forklifts, but this is the first time the whole body was run over," he said.
UPDATE Family of Highway Flagman Crushed to Death to Receive $3 Million in Settlement of Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against JDM Materials, Inc. 8/11/03 2:24:00 PM PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 11 /U.S. Newswire/ -- As a highway safety flagman on the Route 202 reconstruction project, Robert Boyle, 60 of Philadelphia, knew how important it was to be visible to anybody behind the wheel, whether the vehicle was a passenger car or a six-ton concrete truck. But on July 23, 2001, being clearly visible in the rear-view mirror of the driver of a JDM Materials, Inc. concrete truck he was directing wasn't good enough. Tragically and inexplicably, Anthony Matthews, the driver, backed his more than 35-ton truck right over Boyle. The firm of Saltz, Mongeluzzi, Barrett & Bendesky, represented Robert's widow, in a lawsuit against JDM Materials. Shortly before the case was scheduled for trial in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, the case was settled with JDM agreeing to pay compensatory and punitive damages in the amount of $3 million. But for Joan Boyle the personal suffering, and her concern for the safety of other construction workers, is far from over. "Bob was so careful on the job and so concerned for the safety of his co-workers that Joan and others who loved him can only hope and pray that work zones become safer places because of her husband's sacrifice," said Robert J. Mongeluzzi. "There was absolutely no reason for the driver of that truck to continue backing up at a high rate of speed once he saw Robert in his mirror. His haste and negligence cost Robert Boyle his life," added Mongeluzzi's co-counsel John T. Dooley. Saltz, Mongeluzzi, Barrett & Bendesky, PC is dedicated to the representation of people who have been seriously or fatally injured. With offices in Philadelphia and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, the firm specializes in highly complex cases including those involving catastrophic construction site and other workplace accidents, product and premises liability, and medical malpractice. Mongeluzzi is also President of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association.
Collapse kills 7 An under-construction factory warehouse collapsed on Saturday afternoon, burying more than 80 workers in Xiamen, Fujian Province. As of yesterday morning, seven workers had been confirmed dead and 38 others injured seriously. City officials said yesterday that the two-story building was being built without ap-proval from local authorities. No professional personnel organized the construction work. Lin Tianhou, a local villager, was hired to do the work, Xiamen officials said. The building was being constructed for the Qunxin Machinery Factory in Gaolin Village, in the city's Huli District. Workers were pouring cement into the structure at about 5:30 pm when the building caved in, burying the 80-odd workers, according to national media reports. More than 40 workers escaped and by 10 pm, another 43 were recovered and taken to a hospital. Officials that it was the most serious work site accident in the local construction industry in the past few years. They confirmed that the workers, mostly without necessary qualifications, went against safety standards, used fewer construction materials than designed, and hurried the work process to meet a deadline, all attributing to the cave-in. The structure, with a planned floor area of 3,000 square meters, was also poorly designed, they said. The vertical supporting structures couldn't stand the weight of the concrete and collapsed after only 20 percent of the concrete had been poured, officials said.
Gas Main Leaking, Local Roads Closed A ruptured gas line along Highway 124 in Gwinnett County shut down traffic between Lenora Church Road and Ashworth Lake Road Monday afternoon. A construction crew severed the line about 10 a.m. Monday, authorities say. The accident resulted in the evacuation of about 200 people at a nearby medical complex. A 300 foot hotzone is being maintained, while authorities have yet to confirm when the leak will be repaired and the closed roads reopened. Gwinnett Fire, Hazmat, and Atlanta Light and Gas crews were called to the scene.
One Dead, 15 Migrant Workers Injured as Building Collapses At least one migrant worker was killed and 15 others injured in a building collapse in east China's Fujian Province Saturday evening. Workers at the site said nearly 100 migrant workers were at the construction site in Xiamen when the building collapsed, and many were buried. An unspecified number of injured workers have been sent to several local hospitals, and Zhongshan Hospital handled 16 injuredmen. One of the workers died from with serious head injuries. A rescue operation was still underway and the total number of the casualties was still not clear by press time. The workers were adding a second storey to the building when the accident took place at around 6 pm.
UPDATE Worker died from head trauma, autopsy finds By JENNIE TUNKIEICZ Last Updated: Aug. 9, 2003 Racine - A fall from a great height and severe head trauma will most likely be listed as the the cause of death of a Milwaukee man who was involved in a construction site accident in Racine last week, Racine County Medical Examiner Thomas Terry said Thursday. Terry said an autopsy by the Milwaukee County medical examiner's office revealed no heart problems or other natural causes that would have caused Zebedke Richardson to fall 30 to 40 feet from a scaffolding Monday. Terry said he had not received a final report from Milwaukee County, but it is not believed that any other findings will be released. Robinson fell from scaffolding and was impaled on a 5-inch bolt at a construction site near Batten Airport at Mount Pleasant St. and South St. He was 55. Richardson was a 12-year employee of C.D. Smith Construction of Fond du Lac. The company is building a basin for the city's Water and Wastewater Utilities. The accident happened Monday afternoon, and Richardson died at 8:50 p.m. after neurosurgery at St. Mary's Medical Center, Terry said. Terry said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating the incident. A review by the Racine Police Department concluded that the incident was an industrial site accident and not a criminal incident, Sgt. William Macemon said.
Construction worker listed critical after fall
By RICHARD LIEBSON THE JOURNAL NEWS August 9, 2003 WHITE PLAINS — A construction worker was in critical condition yesterday after falling headfirst three stories down a duct shaft at the $325 million City Center project in White Plains. Louis Ackerman and another worker were in the shaft, located next to a stairwell, about 11:30 p.m. Thursday when police said Ackerman accidentally fell about 50 feet to the bottom of the shaft. He was rushed to the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, where he underwent emergency surgery for a skull fracture, spleen injury and blood on his brain. Ackerman, who police believe is in his 40s, was listed in critical condition yesterday. Police did not have his address, but were told by fellow workers that he lives in Brewster. City building inspectors and officials from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were called to the site immediately and returned yesterday to try to determine the cause of the accident. White Plains Building Commissioner Michael Gismondi said that work on the site has not been halted, but that developer Louis Cappelli "will be issued a minimum of three or four summonses for safety violations by us, plus whatever OSHA decides to do.'' He would not elaborate, but police said the men were apparently working without safety rails on the scaffold and were not wearing safety harnesses. "I can't tell you the specific violations right now, other than to say they are for safety issues,'' Gismondi said. "It's an ongoing investigation.'' Brian Connolly, assistant director for OSHA's regional office in Tarrytown, said he knew little about the accident late yesterday afternoon. "Our inspectors are out there right now, and I'm waiting to hear from them,'' he said. "The investigation has just begun.'' Cappelli did not return a call seeking comment yesterday. Police said Ackerman works for Precision Carpentry. Officials from the White Plains-based company could not be reached for comment yesterday. Police Lt. Nick Kralik said witnesses told investigators that Ackerman and another man were finishing up their work when Ackerman asked the other man for a measurement. The man told police he heard a noise, turned around, and saw Ackerman fall down the shaft. "We've determined that there was no crime committed, and we've turned over all of the witness statements to OSHA,'' Kralik said. The accident marked the second time this year that a worker has fallen down a shaft at the City Center site, at Main Street and Mamaroneck Avenue. In March, Alvin Burgos of Yonkers was injured when he fell from the 16th to the 13th floor of a 35-story apartment tower under construction at 222 Main St. after removing wooden support beams from an elevator shaft. Burgos' fall was broken by plywood on the 13th floor. Earlier, a worker was injured when he stepped into a hole and hurt his leg; in another incident, a worker was hit by a pipe. On June 17, 2002, Richard Ellis of Thornwood, a 40-year-old worker, was killed after a bundle of concrete reinforcing bars fell more than 50 feet and crushed him at a hotel-apartment construction site Bank and Main streets in White Plains. Another worker was hurt. Scheduled to open in October, the City Center will contain 15 movie screens, a community theater and thousands of square feet of restaurant and retail space. The project also includes two 35-story apartment towers. A $40 million garage is being constructed by Cappelli and the city.
Rabat worker still on danger list but in stable condition by Charlot Zahra, di-ve news (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) GWARDAMANGIA, Malta (di-ve news) -- 09 August 2003 1215 CET -- Clint Borg, the 18-year-old man of Rabat who fell off around one storey from a scaffolding while doing works on the façade of a building at Bahrija on Wednesday afternoon, was still reported to be on the danger list but was in a stable condition, Police told di-ve.com on Saturday morning. The accident took place at around 1830 CET at Raddet ir-Roti Street in Bahrija, when for some reason or another the worker lost his balance and fell off. A fellow worker of Bahrija called for an ambulance to be sent on site. Borg was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital, where he was certified with grievous head injuries and in danger of dying. Duty Magistrate Giovanni Grixti is conducting the inquiry on the case and has appointed various experts to assist him. Police Inspector Marthese Micallef from the Rabat District is leading the investigations on this case.
Gas leak forces Miromar evacuation reported by Jessica Ritter ESTERO, August 8, 2003 — Thousands of people doing some rainy-day shopping at the Miromar Outlets had to be evacuated just before 11:30 a.m. Friday after a construction crew ruptured a natural gas line. Business returned to normal by early afternoon, thanks to crews that controlled the leak and Mother Nature, whose strong winds helped dissipate the gas. A worker from an electric company broke through the pip with a backhoe. Greg Hughes was cooking inside Wallaby Joe's when he says he smelled the leak. "The restaurant filled up immediately. We had the back door open and the gas leak's 20 feet away," Hughes said. Construction worker Steve Denton was even closer. "You just hear it rushing out of the pipe," Denton said. "It was under the ground when he put its forks in and hit it. He ran and I ran and just told everybody to get out of the building." The 16,000 square foot expansion project is about half way complete. But all work came to a halt as firefighters evacuated the entire complex. Mall managers say nasty weather early Friday pulled thousands of people indoors to shop. And although it hurt business, they say the evacuation was necessary. Shopper Claire Merchant agreed. "I think it's better to be safe than sorry, especially when you've got children," she said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is reportedly investigating the incident. The electric company, Current Electric, had no comment on the accident.
Man freed from collapsed trench By Associated Press Saturday, August 09, 2003 - ANCHORAGE An industrial accident Thursday night left a man trapped in a trench for about three hours Thursday near Eagle River. Homeowner Forest Crane was working a 9-deep trench behind his mobile home about six miles up Eagle River Road when the trench collapsed. "He was covered up to about mid-thigh. There were a lot of rocks and stuff around him. He just couldn't move," said firefighter and paramedic Ward Hepper told KTUU-TV. About 20 firefighters from the Anchorage Fire department's special trench rescue unit responded. They used plywood to stabilize the sides of the banks before they climbed down to rescue the man. "They used the air system in the trench rescue, shored everything up, made everything safe and clean, got down in the bottom and just had to keep digging. Finally got him loose," Hepper said. "There was a lot of water in the bottom of the trench, along with the dirt, so it was kind of like an Inlet-mud rescue inside a trench rescue." Hepper said one part of the bank had a crack in it. "When the cars were driving, or the heavy trucks were driving on Eagle River Road, it was making the crack move. That's why we had to stabilize everything so it didn't cave in."
Crane overturns onto construction site, man injured Sunday, 10 August 2003 MALE, Aug 10 (HNS) -- A crane overturned on Saturday onto a construction site of H. Athireege in Male, seriously injuring a man. Adam Mueen, who was observing the work on the site, ducked from the falling crane and jumped to the ground, landing heavily, breaking his right leg and receiving injuries to his left leg. Around 4:15pm local time, the crane belonging to Maldives Transport and Contracting Company overturned onto the construction site of Athireege, the residence of Maldives’ first president Mohamed Amin. Construction work is carried out by Laiko Construction and its supervisor Ali Husham told Haveeru that the framework of the first floor of the building was damaged in the accident. MTCC officials refused to comment on the accident when contacted. However, in an interview to Voice of Maldives by police, Major Ibrahim Latheef said that the crane overturned because the planks supporting the crane’s pivots snapped, and that one of the pivots had also sunk into the ground. This may have occurred because the crane may have been burdened beyond its supporting capacity, Latheef said.
Construction worker killed in scaffolding accident August 6, 2003 (Chicago) — A construction worker was fatally injured when a falling object struck him on the head at a site on the city's North Side. The 45-year-old was working at the Sunrise assisted living residence in the 2700-block of North Clark around 2 p.m. when the accident occurred. OSHA is on the scene. The man, whose identity has not been released, reportedly worked for Schwindler Construction Company.
Carl Junction Worker Injured Wednesday, August 06, 2003 A construction worker is injured while working on the Carl Junction Intermediate school. The worker fell through the roof, falling more than 20 feet. He was working on the damage from last May`s deadly tornadoes. The man was working through western fireproofing, a subcontractor through RES Construction. The man was taken to Freeman hospital for possible hip injuries. Construction has stopped until a cause of the accident can be explained.
UPDATE Contractor Fined For Deadly Trench Accident; OSHA Says Company Failed To Train Workers A Warwick-based contractor is facing almost $90,000 in fines stemming from a February trench collapse that killed a worker. Walter Gorski, 33, of East Providence, was working on an 11-foot-deep sewer line in Woonsocket when the walls collapsed. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration said the accident could have been prevented had Gorski's employer supplied proper protection against cave-ins. OSHA said the workers had not been trained to recognize trenching hazards. Gorski worked for Greenwood Plumbing, Heating and Solar Inc. The plumbing contractor did business as Mr. Rooter.
Worker finally freed after 5 hours in mud By Robert Perez Sentinel Staff Writer August 6, 2003 SANFORD -- Kelly Gibson probably didn't think twice about climbing out of the hole he and his co-workers had dug in the alley behind Dorothy Brazzell's house. He had climbed out of hundreds of holes and trenches during his 15 years with the Sanford utility department. But Tuesday he found his leg stuck fast in the trench. The wet, heavy mud at the bottom clung to him like a leech, and there was little the 39-year-old could do to free himself. When Gibson's co-workers jumped in to dig him out, they accidentally broke a line that began to fill the hole with water and quickly turned what was an embarrassing situation into a five-hour rescue drama. Dozens of firefighters from Sanford and Seminole County worked against time and the elements to free Gibson. Victims in trench collapses can die from compression injuries caused by tons of dirt and sand pressing on their extremities. The longer they're trapped, the greater the danger. But this situation was different. Rescuers were faced with pumping out hundreds of gallons of mud from around Gibson, who was buried up to his waist. But the more they pumped out, the more mud filled the hole, said Stan Human, Seminole County battalion chief. Crews who worked in and around the hole behind 807 Rosalia Drive made little progress against the thick, black muck that held Gibson captive about 6 feet below the surrounding dirt and grass of the alleyway. Even after three hours of feverish work by rescuers using shovels, 5-gallon buckets, a backhoe and a truck with a giant vacuum cleaner, Gibson was no closer to being free. Efrem Session, who looked on from a fenced yard about 20 feet from the trench, pleaded with firefighters. "Hey boss man, make sure you get him out," he called out. "That's my brother man." Session said he has known Gibson for 10 years, about as long as his sister, Felicia, has dated Gibson. "I know he's scared and probably anxious to get out of there," he said. As the rescue wore on into its fourth hour, the weather began to work against firefighters. Dark clouds moved in from the northwest, and heavy rain and lightning came down by 4:30 p.m. That's when rescuers changed their tactics. Instead of continuing the losing battle to pump the mud out, they decided to dig a deeper hole next to Gibson and let the mud fall away from him. Felicia Session looked on nervously and complained of a pounding headache as a backhoe dug deep into the wet ground next to her fiancé. She tried to joke with friends and family but admitted she was scared and anxious. "I just want to see him," she said. But she didn't worry as much about how Gibson was handling himself. Two years ago, Gibson nearly lost part of his foot in a lawn mower accident, but he remained calm throughout the incident, Felicia Session said. "He's a hero because he doesn't panic," she said. Shortly after 6 p.m., a light rain resumed over the rescue, then suddenly Gibson was being pulled out. A cheer erupted from the crowd of onlookers as his arms, then head, came into view. Soon Gibson's nearly limp body was being put onto a medical stretcher for the trip to Central Florida Regional Hospital. He showed little emotion, but his face was a portrait of exhaustion and relief. Calls of, "God is good" came from the crowd with the refrain, "All the time." Dr. Todd Husty, Seminole County's medical director, said Gibson was doing remarkably well. Gibson's vital signs were monitored throughout the five-hour ordeal and remained steady. "If I were his doctor, I'd send him home tonight," Husty said.
Worker burned in house fire By Andrew Lightman / Staff Writer Tuesday, August 5, 2003 An unidentified contractor was burned when a fire erupted around him in the third floor of the Lake Avenue apartment he was renovating, fire officials said. The homeowner, Wangni Tian, said the employee of the contractor, SteveWorks, was up on the third floor sanding and varnishing the floor at about 3 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 5, when the fire began. Tian was on the first floor, and evacuated as soon as she heard the alarm go off. Firefighters were quick to arrive, and observed burns on his arms and chest, before he was taken away in an ambulance to Newton Wellesley Hospital. His status was unknown as of deadline. Tian, who lives in the downstairs apartment, was renovating the upstairs so she could rent it out. Looking on as firefighters cut away pieces of her roof to keep the fire from re-igniting, she could only blame the worker. "A man was working on the floor," she said. "I think they were putting on the first coat [ofvarnish]. That's the combuster maybe." "Definitely combustible fumes," said fire chief Joseph Lacroix. "It's the source of the ignition that is unknown." A spark or a hot object likely could have started the fire, Lacroix said. The fire spread up to the roof, but the second floor suffered only water damage. The first floor was not harmed in the fire. When told by Lacroix that most of the floor the worker was varnishing had been destroyed, Tian was horrified. "They should have known better," she said. "I am so sorry to hire these people." Two alarms were sounded to reinforce firefighters who had been in full uniform for two and a half hours. Earlier in the afternoon, a water-main break on Needham Street forced firefighters to dress in their 100 lb. gear. They were called to Lake Avenue immediately after. Several firefighters, covered in sweat and soot, were given oxygen once the blaze had been put out. None required more serious medical attention.
Fire ruins attic Tuesday, August 05, 2003 By Christine Tognetti SAN MARTIN - What started off as a normal installation of a water softener turned into an attic fire Monday afternoon causing more than $250,000 worth of damage. Elouise Hartman was coming home from a quick trip the store when she noticed gusts of smoke in the sky. “I could tell it was in my neighborhood, but as I got closer I started to realize this might be my house,” Hartman said. The smoke was pouring out of her attic at 12600 Sycamore Road in San Martin, where an employee of Culligan Water was installing a new water softener pipe. According to California Department of Forestry Fire Capt. Paramedic Mike Matheisen, while installing the pipe, the sparks from the welding ignighted the insulation causing the fire. CDF/South County responded quickly with five fire engines, 22 firefighters and two fire chiefs. They were able to contain the fire quickly and minimize the damage. The fire was located directly above the master bedroom. Matheisen said firefighters used an approach where they located the fire, drew a line and then pushed the fire back by entering the ceiling from the area not yet burned. “We approached the fire very aggressively, and we’re lucky to have had this contained when we did,” Matheisen said. “The wind was blowing and some of the skylights were open in the attic. We could have lost much more.” Hartman sat on the lawn and watched the firefighters save what they could of her home. “I just can’t believe this,” she said. “I just had a new roof put on two months ago.”
ISU project scorched By Steven Friederich and Tanna Barry - Journal Writers POCATELLO - It took only moments for a fire to start on the roof of Idaho State University's yet-to-be completed performing arts center on Monday, and it took firefighters less than an hour to put it out. Damage did not appear to be extensive. The fire on the roof of the L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center started when sparks from a welder's torch ignited insulation and tar paper on the west side of the concert hall roof around noon. The fire spread quickly from the rubber roofing material to the foam underneath, filling the sky with "one huge, big, black plume" of smoke, according to Travis Packer, who was working at the nearby Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' stake center. Pocatello Fire Department Division Chief Kevin Quick confirmed the sparks as the fire's source. He said a welder was on the roof when the fire started, but the welder and 104 other construction workers on site were evacuated within 50 feet of the building. No one was hurt. ISU officials said construction crews uld estimate damage today to determine how long the construction was delayed and how much it will cost to replace the charred roofing, said ISU's Vice President for University Advancement Kent Tingey. Workers started the roofing only last week, said Sletten Construction spokesman Josh Guisti. Sletten is the main contractor for the $35 million building, which is scheduled for completion next fall. Steel underneath the roof served to protect the rest of the building from any fire damage, Quick said. When Darrell Buffaloe, ISU's physical plant director, arrived on scene, he said it looked like flames reached 20 feet above the roof of the concert hall. He could see the orange flames jumping while the dark smoke filled the sky. "It scared the daylights out of me, but it looked worse than it really was," he said. "It is just unfortunate." Buffaloe said he doesn't believe the fire will slow construction much because the fire was limited to just the roof over the concert hall. The fire was reported at 12:21 p.m. and it took about 40 minutes to extinguish, Quick said. After the fire was officially out, firefighters stayed on the roof to control "hot spots." Quick said he had to call in almost everyone on his force - including a couple off-duty firefighters - to control the blaze. A tower truck was used to handle the fire because stairs do not reach the roof. Tingey said the building is insured by both Sletten and the state.
Worker electrocuted while renovating Casselberry movie theater CASSELBERRY, Fla. A construction worker helping renovate a movie theater was electrocuted Tuesday. The worker was rushed to Florida Hospital in Altamonte Springs shortly after the 1 p.m. accident, said Lt. Dennis Stewart, a Casselberry Police Department spokesman. The worker's name was not released. Moments after the accident, a co-worker rushed next door to the Seminole County sheriff's district 5 office looking for help, said Steve Olson, a sheriff's office spokesman. A sheriff's investigator and a sergeant responded, Olson said. "They didn't do CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) because he was breathing and had a pulse," Olson said. "They were trying to talk to him, but he wasn't responding." Casselberry police and the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration will investigate the incident, Stewart said.
Construction Worker Injured When Tree Falls On Bulldozer POSTED: 5:02 p.m. EDT August 4, 2003 RALEIGH -- A construction worker was injured Monday when a tree fell on his bulldozer at a work site in Raleigh. The accident occured at the 700 block of North Ridge Drive. A contstruction crew was working to clear area trees when one fell on the bulldozer injuring the operator. The worker was taken to WakeMed with injuries to his head and back. Officials did not reveal the extent of the man's injuries.
Crane Topples At Flagler County Resort; No Injuries Reported PALM COAST, Fla. -- A large crane that was being used at a Flagler County resort construction site toppled Tuesday morning. The accident at the Ocean Beach Resort caused substantial damage to a condominium under construction at the site, WESH NewsChannel 2 reported. No injuries were reported, and most of the construction workers were inside when the crane toppled, reports indicated. The Ocean Beach Resort is part of the Ocean Hammock subdivision near Palm Coast. Stay with WESH NewsChannel 2 and WESH.com for further details.
Woman injured during demolition Aug 05, 2003 A woman is in Auckland Hospital with minor injuries after a wall collapsed onto two cars in Greenlane. Police say the building was being demolished when the accident happened at the intersection of Great South and Greenlane Roads shortly before 6pm. An eye witness, Mark Winter, says the back of a crane smashed into the wall, sending rubble crashing over the footpath and onto the road. He says the entire passenger side of the woman's car was crushed under a pile of bricks. Mark Winter says had the woman been six inches closer to the footpath she would have been crushed. Police had blocked surrounding roads, amid fears people could be trapped under the rubble and fire and ambulance crews from throughout the city rushed to the scene.
Worker stuck in chest-high mud rescued By MARCIA LANGHENRY Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer A construction worker stuck in chest-high mud was rescued by firefighters at noon today. The man's identity was not released but he was not injured, said Forsyth County Fire Chief Danny Bowman. The construction site is behind Lowe's on Peachtree Parkway in the Johns Creek area of south Forsyth County near the Fulton County border. Bowman said he was not certain how the accident happened. There was a large backhoe in the area, he said, and he guessed it appeared to the construction worker that the ground was more stable than it was. When he stepped off the backhoe, he became trapped when he sunk in the thick mud up to his chest. The rescue took 35 minutes and involved 15 firefighters. Bowman said they laid out an extension ladder to form a solid base to work from, then surrounded the man with plywood. Firefighters then stood on the plywood and manually pulled the man upward and free of the suction created by the mud and water. The ground is saturated from recent rains, Bowman said. On Sunday, the county received 2 inches and recently set a record for rainfall in July.
2 labourers die after fatal fall Express News Service Pune, August 2: Two labourers had a fatal fall from the third floor of a building under construction near Chinchwadgaon old octroi post today. Police said the accident occurred while the labourers were removing the bamboo scaffolding. Police identified the duo as Suresh Suhan Verma (30) of Kunal Residency, Thergaon, and Sunil Pujari (25) of Pavana Nagar, Kalewadi. The incident occurred at Krunal Riverside, a building coming up near Moraya Mangal Karyalaya adjacent to octroi post. A case of accident has been registered.
UPDATE Firm fined over worker's death A building firm has been fined £150,000 after one of its employees was run over and killed by a forklift truck. Harold Moran, 54, was knocked down as the truck reversed out of a compound at the site at Ashdown Downs in Kirkby, Merseyside, in September 2000. On Monday, McLean Homes North West and Cheshire Ltd was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £56,017 costs after being found guilty of a breach of health and safety regulations. The firm had pleaded not guilty, but was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court. Mr Moran was struck by the truck as he walked across a gateway at the site, where 91 homes were being built, and died at the scene. 'Analyse dangers' The Health and Safety Executive is warning other firms about the importance of managing vehicle safety. Neil Jamieson, Health and Safety Executive inspector, said: "On average around 70 people are killed and 1,200 seriously injured each year in workplace transport accidents. "These accidents are mainly caused by people being struck or run over by moving vehicles when reversing particularly in areas where people are not properly segregated from vehicle movements. "It is vital that managers of all types of workplace - not only construction sites - analyse the potential dangers posed by workplace transport and then take suitable safety measures to avoid these risks."
Safety worker hit by car, dies in construction zone By Pedro Ruz Gutierrez Sentinel Staff Writer August 2, 2003 Grady Thomas Hill, 38, lived and breathed safety. As a highway traffic-maintenance supervisor, Hill knew the hazards of roadway construction sites. On his last night of installing tape stripes on the express E-Pass lanes on the Central Florida GreeneWay, Hill was killed when a motorist slammed into a construction areaearly Friday morning.Two other workers -- Paul Kimbro, 44, of Oviedo and Charles Starett, 43, of Geneva -- suffered serious injuries. "He supervised safety and lane markings for traffic shifts and was responsible for seeing that all the safety precautions were taken," said Dave Freytag, a friend of the Hill family and fellowworshipper at First Baptist Church of Tuscawillain Seminole County. "It's kind of ironic." Hill worked for Martin K. Eby Construction of Maitland,which is remodeling the University Boulevard interchange. Kimbro and Starett worked for subcontractor Sun Ray Paving and Construction. A few hours before the 1:55 a.m. accident, Hill had helped set up the bright-orange cones and the lighted arrow signaling the closed left southbound lane. The Florida Highway Patrol arrested Corey C. Price, 34, of Wellington on charges of vehicular homicide and DUI manslaughter. State records show Price is a convicted DUI offender with arrests in Volusia County for driving a car under the influence in 1994 and operating a boat while drunk in 1995. FHP troopers described him as "intoxicated" but aware that someone had been killed. "He was a little unsteady on his feet," said FHP Sgt. Ron Behnke, a traffic-homicide investigator. "And he knew he had killed somebody. He kept making remarks that there was a body lying over there, so he's aware of what happened." FHP Trooper Kim Miller, an agency spokeswoman, said Price's 2000 Nissan Maxima was estimated to be traveling between 60 and 80 mph when he hit the workers as he entered the E-Pass lane. Miller said witnesses reported seeing Price's car swerve from side to side andknock down the orange cones. Authorities said the area is under constant construction and that shifting lanes may add to the confusion. Some motorists have complained, said Bryan Douglas, communications and marketing manager fortheOrlando-Orange County Expressway Authority. The dangers of working in such high-traffic areas are obvious, Douglas said, and that is why most of the work is done at night or when it is not raining. "Whether you do it at night or at the peak of traffic hours during the day, it's just a dangerous place to be doing construction work," Douglas said. Construction crews sometimes employ off-duty FHP troopers to alert drivers of their work, but it's not a requirement. There were no troopers on duty Friday. A Martin K. Eby officialwould not discuss the use of troopers. "The issue here is speeding at night so, people, please slow down in construction zones," said Tom Haisch, a Martin K. Eby operations manager. "It's not a happy place here." Hillis survived by his wife, Audrey; twin daughters Traci and Marilyn, 11; son Timothy, 9; and daughter Cathy Jo, 8. He was active in his church, where he served as chairman of the deacons. He also was involved in ministries to help the needy and young people. In a statement, the family urged the public to be cautious when driving through construction zones, not to drink and drive, and to oppose efforts to extend alcohol sales to 4 a.m. The statement noted that a husband, father, son and brother has been lost. "Why? Because a drunk driver speeding through a construction zone took his life," the statement said.
Construction worker falls 60 feet From staff reports 08/01/2003 A construction worker was critically injured in Fairview Friday afternoon when he fell nearly 60 feet into a sewer excavation pit, fire officials said. The worker, whose name was not immediately available, fell onto a piece of metal wire and was impaled in his chest. The man was transported via Careflite to Methodist Hospital in Dallas. His condition has not been made available. Chief investigating agency, Fairview Fire Department, called McKinney's high-angle vertical rescue team to assist with the man's rescue. Fire fighters removed the construction worker from the 30-foot excavation pit, which was located inside another 30-foot cement casement being set for the town's sewer system. McKinney Asst. Fire Chief Frank Roma said this is the specialized vertical rescue team's first year in McKinney.
2nd Skyway Construction Death Of Summer Saturday Aug. 2, 2003, 3:10 p.m. (Chicago) -- A worker fell 50 feet to his death Friday after he stepped on an unsupported platform while working at a construction site on the Chicago Skyway, marking the second fatality from the area in less than a month. The victim, identified by the medical examiner's office as David Stevens, 36, fell at about 1 p.m. from the Skyway at 75th Street and Greenwood Avenue, Gresham District Sgt. Robert Orlando said. Stevens was laying a platform to pour concrete from when he stepped on a 3-by-4-foot piece of plywood that had no support under it, according to a Calumet Area detective. The worker plunged 50 feet and struck his head on the ground, the detective said. He did not know the name of the construction company the victim worked for. Stevens, of 14256 Luna Av. in Midlothian, was pronounced dead at 1:47 p.m. at Stroger Hospital of Cook County, according to a Cook County medical examiner's office spokesman. An autopsy was scheduled for Saturday, the spokesman said. This was the second time in less than a month that a construction worker was killed falling from the Skyway. Dennis McNamara, 63, 249 Lincoln Ct. in Wood Dale, was working on the Skyway near 77th Street when he plunged to the ground at about 11:10 p.m. July 9. He died from his injuries at 12:15 a.m. July 10, according to the police and a medical examiner's office spokesman. The Skyway viaduct from 75th to 79th Street has been undergoing reconstruction since September 2001 as the first phase of a $250 million project to improve the safety and traffic flow, according to the city Department of Transportation's Web site. Work to on the viaduct deck between 77th and 79th streets, which involves removing the superstructure and replacing it with a filled embankment, was scheduled for completion in November.
Rockford Woman Killed in Construction Zone Accident by Sean Lewis A Rockford woman was killed early this morning when she was struck by a drunk driver while working in a construction zone near Schaumburg. And news of the death is hitting friends and family hard here at home. 51 year old Deborah Wead was holding the "slow down" sign in a work zone at about 1:00 this morning when she was killed. Police say a 28-year-old Lemont man was driving drunk when he hit Wead, lost control of his car and crashed into a concrete barrier. News of Deborah's death is hitting friends and family hard here in Rockford. Sometimes the hardest lessons in life are learned when another life is cut short."I learned how to be a good person, how to be true, how to be real and how to live," says Rachel Otto who knew Debbie Wead very well. They were roommates for 2 years, and had known each other for 4. To Rachel, Debbie was like a second mom. "I've never met somebody who'd just give up anything to give to somebody else to help them out. She did everything she could for me," says Rachel. And for her family, she was a mom, and a grandmother. Rachel says she was a friend who taught life lessons well, and who'd also talked about the danger of getting hit by a car while working on a road crew job, one she'd only started in October of last year. "So many times when you talked about Debbie--we called her Weadie--talked about how this could happen to her and it was never real. It was never real to me until now," says Rachel. She says this accident was the waste of a good life, one she already misses. "I walk around my house, and this is like 7 o'clock this morning when she usually come home and she didn't come home, and it hurts--it really hurts. It really hurts that somebody this stupid went and did something stupid like that because they don't realize what they're doing to someone else. And now they've ruined somebody else's life. Because I lost a lot when I lost her last night," says Rachel. What she won't lose are those lessons, especially the one she wants drivers to remember on the road before anther life, another friend is lost. "I can live on with her legacy. Try to do the best I can for her.. now that she's gone... to pass on. But it's just something you never get over. It doesn't go away," says Rachel.
2 workers die after scaffolding hits electrical wire 07/29/2003 By MEAGHAN WIMS Journal staff writer Updated 12:35 p.m. WEST WARWICK -- Two construction workers were killed and a third was severely burned this morning when the metal scaffolding they were carrying came into contact with a 7,200-volt electrical wire, the police said. The men were working at a three-story house on Pleasant Street when the accident occurred at about 9 a.m. Jared Gendron, 18, from the Scituate village of Hope, and Thomas Walker, 24, of Coventry were electrocuted, an official at Kent County Hospital said. The third man was in good condition at the hospital. The men were moving the scaffolding when they apparently lost control of it, police said. It touched the bare, copper wire, which is about 30 feet off the ground and runs parallel to the house. "We are not putting blame on anyone," said police Lt. Albert A. Giusti Jr. "They were hired to do a job, and, unfortunately, this accident occurred." The men had a permit to do roofing and siding work on the three-family home at 22-26 Pleasant St. They had been working at the house for the past several weeks, according to neighbors. -- With reports from the Associated Press.
I-95 northbound reopens near Jacksonville after crane wreck Associated Press July 29, 2003, 11:00 AM EDT WORLD GOLF VILLAGE -- The northbound lanes of Interstate 95 reopened early Tuesday, about 12 hours after a crane being hauled by a truck struck and heavily damaged the overpass at the World Golf Village exit south of Jacksonville. All northbound traffic had been detoured to State Road 16 while temporary repairs were made to the overpass and a broken concrete bridge span was removed, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The southbound traffic was not affected by Monday's accident. Two westbound lanes and one eastbound lane remain open on International Golf Parkway, which crosses the interstate on the overpass. Truck driver Marvin Castleberry, 38, of Hilliard, was flown by air ambulance to Shands Jacksonville Medical Center, where he was listed in good condition. ``The gentleman working for the company, Southern Crane, was doing a job at the World Golf Village, forgot to put the boom down, was getting northbound from IGP (International Golf Parkway),'' Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Etcher said. ``With it up in the air, it struck the overpass.'' While the crash was not related to the current road construction in the area, Superior Construction, the contractor for the widening of I-95, was used to remove the damaged beam and make repairs to the overpass, the Department of Transportation said. The Florida Department of Transportation estimates preliminary work to make the overpass safe cost $200,000, and planning will begin for a permanent fix. ``They've got to cast a new beam, and they've got to go ahead and schedule that construction work,'' DOT engineer Jim Gant said.
Elementary school construction accident sends 2 to hospital (Columbia) July 26, 2003 - An accident happened shortly before 11:00am Saturday in front of Burnside Elementary School. Construction workers have been building a covered walkway here but Saturday their work site turned dangerous a sheet of metal hit two of them. One end of the walkway was already covered with sheet metal Saturday the construction crews started working on the roof on the opposite side. They were using a crane to lift the sheet metal when officials say it became unbalanced and slipped hitting two young workers. Both of the workers had serious injuries. One of the patients that was transported had injuries to the head and chest area. Another patient was transported for near amputation to the foot and toe region. Both were conscious and alert at the time of transport. The two men are said to be in stable condition Saturday night at Palmetto Richland Hospital. No word yet on what exactly caused the accident or if the men were wearing protective gear when the accident happened.
Man Killed When Trench Collapses (LOUISVILLE, July 29th, 2003, 2:30 p.m.) -- A Senninger Plumbing Company employee was killed Tuesday in a trench cave-in on Dixie Highway. Pleasure Ridge Park Fire Chief Doug Atwell says the man never had a chance when the dirt walls fell just after noon. Atwell says the man was repairing a water line under a Circuit City parking lot. Crews were still trying to unearth the man's body from more than a ton of dirt late Tuesday afternoon, and were expected to continue working well into the evening. It's the first fatal trench collapse in Jefferson County in the past 10 years.
Millsboro man killed by nail gun; Brothers were working on new house By CHIP GUY Sussex Bureau reporter A 29-year-old Millsboro man was killed this week when his brother accidentally shot him in the chest with a nail gun as the two worked on a house in Ocean View, police said Thursday. Camillo Juandelos died at Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Md., Wednesday evening, after being taken there by helicopter after an afternoon incident in a house under construction in the Village at Bear Trap Dunes. Ocean View Police Chief Kenneth McLaughlin said the victim and his brother, Jesus, 25, were framing a wall about 4 p.m. Wednesday. Jesus Juandelos bent over the floor using the compressed-air nail gun, then stood up quickly and turned around to call for his brother, who he thought was across the room, McLaughlin said. Camillo Juandelos, though, already was behind his brother and walked into the nail gun as Jesus turned around. The gun discharged, firing a 3-inch nail into Juandelos' chest, McLaughlin said. "I think it was just a strange thing that happened," McLaughlin said. "It looks like a very, very unfortunate accident." Police said Thursday they were continuing their investigation. The federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration also was investigating. Because Juandelos died in Maryland, the body was taken to Baltimore where an autopsy was to be performed. The incident was the second involving a nail gun at a housing construction site in Ocean View within the last year. In August, a 37-year-old Dover man injured himself when he pulled a nail gun by its cord. The gun fired a 3-inch nail into his chest, seriously wounding him. Federal workplace safety officials said they do not track the number of accidents involving nail guns. But a spokeswoman for the safety agency said Thursday that fatal injuries are three times more common in the construction industry than in all other industries. The average number of fatalities for all industries was 4.3 for every 100,000 workers in 2001, according to Leni Uddyback-Fortson, in the agency's Philadelphia office. The construction industry's rate in 2001 was 13.3 for every 100,000 workers. Camillo Juandelos was employed by a subcontractor from Arlington, Va. The owner of that company, Frisly Rosales Construction, could not be reached Thursday. In a prepared statement issued Thursday, the developer of The Village at Bear Trap Dunes - Carl M. Freeman Communities - said all contractors and subcontractors working at the site would be reminded of required safety procedures. A spokeswoman could not be reached for more details. McLaughlin said the nail gun has been turned over to the federal agency for analysis. Uddyback-Forton said the agency's investigation could take up to six months and could lead to fines.
Worker in danger of dying after fall by Charlotte Bonavia, di-ve news (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) VALLETTA, Malta (di-ve news) -- 28 July 2003 - 2100CET -- A 40-year-old Fgura man is in danger of dying after falling a height of three storeys while working at Old Hospital Street, Valletta, on Monday afternoon at around 1600CET. Police said that the accident occurred when the man fell off a plank while he was carrying out some works in a shaft of a block of apartments situated in the zone known as Camarata. An ambulance took the man to St Luke’s Hospital where he was certified as suffering grievous injuries and that he was in danger of dying. The duty magistrate was informed about the incident and appointed various experts to assist in the inquiry. Valletta district police are leading the investigations.
Worker Falls 20 Feet At Nelson-Atkins Museum; Officials Expect Victim To Survive KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A construction worker was injured Monday morning when he fell 20 feet into a shaft outside the Nelson-Atkins Museum, KMBC's Brenda Washington reported. The accident occurred just after 7 a.m. on the southeast side of the museum. The worker, an employee of J.E. Dunn Construction, was hoisted out of the hole and rushed to an area hospital. Officials said he suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, Washington reported. The construction company is working on an expansion project for the museum. The injured worker's name has not been released.
Bulls Head man partially severs arm in accident Sunday, July 27, 2003 By KAREN O'SHEA ADVANCE STAFF WRITER A Bulls Head man partially severed his arm while using a circular saw at home yesterday. Neighbors heard Carmine Mazza, 42, of Goller Place, cry out for help around 9:20 a.m. after the lower part of his left arm was partially amputated in an accident that occurred during a home improvement project, police said. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan where doctors worked on reattaching his arm, said Police Department Spokeswoman Carmen Melendez. A hospital spokesman said Mazza was in stable condition yesterday. "When I heard him scream, I knew something real bad had happened," said a shaken next-door neighbor, Valerie Lopiano. Mazza often works on his house or helps other homeowners on the block, neighbors said. He lives with his wife and two young sons in a semi-attached house near Willowbrook Park. It was unclear what kind of project Mazza was working on yesterday, but neighbor Rosita Benzaken saw him on the deck in his back yard shortly before the accident. "He's a wonderful neighbor," she said yesterday. "He will help anybody. If you need him, he's there," added Mrs. Lopiano. The two women credited another neighbor, Angie Careccia, with tying Mazza's partially severed arm with towels and keeping ice on his hand until emergency service workers arrived.
3 Fla. Construction Workers Struck By Lightning CLEARWATER -- Three construction workers eating their lunch under a large magnolia tree were struck by lightning Monday when a sudden storm came upon them. The workers were transported to local hospitals and their injuries did not appear to be life threatening, Clearwater emergency officials said. "They are feeling pretty lucky," Clearwater Fire Lt. Wendy Cason said. The workers were eating lunch shortly after noon at an overpass construction site on U.S. Highway 19 in central Pinellas County when the tree was struck, Cason said. Other workers were near, but were not injured by the strike. The lightning was moving ahead of the storm and the workers had no warning, Cason said. "It had not begun to rain until after we arrived at the scene," she said. "People need to be aware the lightning often proceeds the storm.'' The workers were complaining of muscle tremors and internal pain, she said. "With that amount of electricity, there are possible internal injuries,'' Cason said.
UPDATE Fatal Fall at Brandeis University Worksite Leads to $46,200 in OSHA Fines for Danvers, Mass., Contractor METHUEN, Mass. -- The death of a worker who fell two stories to his death at a Waltham, Mass., construction site could have been prevented if his employer, William A. Berry & Son, had supplied required fall protection, according to citations issued by the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). William A. Berry & Son, of Danvers, Mass., general contractor on the construction of a new dormitory at Brandeis University, faces $46,200 in fines for alleged willful and serious violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, following the March 2 fatality. A crew of laborers was dismantling a temporary work platform on the second floor level of an unfinished stairwell when one of them fell through the partially dismantled platform to the basement level. OSHA's inspection found that the employer had not provided fall protection for the workers. This exposed these workers to falls of almost 26 feet from the work platform. The workers had also not been instructed to recognize and avoid such fall hazards. "Falls are the number one killer in construction, having cost the lives of more than 400 American workers in 2001," explained Richard Fazzio, OSHA's area director for Middlesex and Essex Counties. "This case shows in the starkest terms why fall protection is an absolute necessity when employees are working six feet or more above the next level." Berry & Son faces a fine of $42,000 for failing to provide the fall protection, while a $4,200 fine is proposed for the lack of training. A willful violation is defined by OSHA as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations. A serious violation as one in which there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result, and the employer knew, or should have known, of the hazard. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to either elect to comply with them, to request and participate in an informal conference with the OSHA area director, or to contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. OSHA's Methuen, Mass., area office conducted the inspection. Its telephone number is (617) 565-8110. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is dedicated to saving lives, preventing injuries and illnesses, and protecting America's workers. Safety and health add value to business, the workplace and life. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
Bridge construction accident injures six The Associated Press Saturday, July 26, 2003 Crestline — Six workers were injured Thursday when a beam gave way on a bridge being constructed in southeast Kansas. The accident occurred about 4 p.m. at a construction site on Old Highway 96 between Crestline and the Missouri state line. Employees of Beachner Construction Co., St. Paul, Kan., have been working since December to replace the bridge over the Spring River. One worker was taken by helicopter with serious injuries to Freeman Hospital West in Joplin, Mo. The other five were taken by ambulance to area hospitals with less serious injuries, said Cherokee County Undersheriff George Kelly. George Dockery, a engineer with the Kansas Department of Transportation, said all six workers were standing on the beam, placing braces on it and preparing it for placement. One worker had just released a cable to move to another spot on the beam when the beam started to topple, throwing the workers off, Dockery said. The workers could have been more seriously injured if they had not been wearing lifelines, Dockery said. They would have fallen the 25 or 30 feet to the ground. The most seriously injured worker rode the beam all the way to the ground, suffering cuts to the head and face and leg injuries. The other workers suffered scrapes, bruises, sprains and possible broken bones, officials said. Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials probably will be called in to investigate, but it is up to the construction contractor to contact the agency, Dockery said. The highway was closed in December 2002, when construction began on the $2.6 million bridge replacement project. Dockery said the accident probably would delay completion of the new bridge, which was scheduled for November.
Construction work ruptures gas line; No evacuations at any Eisenhower Drive businesses. By NANCY POSTER Evening Sun Reporter Friday, July 25, 2003 - An unsuspecting worker digging a post hole behind the Wal-Mart Supercenter on Eisenhower Drive struck a natural gas line Thursday morning, sending a hissing rush of vapors into the air. The gas leak did not force the evacuation of the department store, said assistant manager Ron Kerlin. The line that was struck feeds the south side of Eisenhower Drive westward to the Rex TV store at 381 Eisenhower Drive, said Hanover firefighter Jeff Spielman. Officials at Giant Food Store and the Wendy's and the Red Lobster restaurants said they experienced no problems related to the gas outage. Because the line is fed from two sources, workers had to dig in two locations to finally shut off the flow of gas, he said. That was accomplished by 11:30 a.m., nearly an hour and a half after the 9:53 a.m. accident. Columbia Gas workers arrived at 10:14 a.m. and had the leak stopped by 11:30 a.m., said company spokesman Rob Boulware Thursday night. There was no interruption of gas service to any other customers in the vicinity, he said. An easterly wind carried the gas plume away from the store where it dissipated over Broadway, Spielman said. "There was great concern over the necessity of it," Spielman said of the possibility of an evacuation of the retailer. While the leak occurred at the rear of the store, behind a storage area, meters were set up inside the store to monitor the air. Part of the store's air handling system was shut down to prevent gas from seeping into the store, Spielman said. "We were sent out here to fix damage done by an 18-wheeler truck to the fence," said Ivan King, a worker with the contractor, which he declined to identify. The workers were using a Bobcat tractor to install a post that had held a "do not enter" sign, he said. "While digging the hole, we happened to find a gas main," King said. Immediately, the workers saw a plume of vapors rise and heard the hissing of gas. They found the store's manager and called 911. "It was just a tough situation," King said. Despite the presence of emergency officials outside, it was business as usual inside the Wal-Mart. "The store was not affected in any way, shape or form," Kerlin said, adding the store's concern was for its sales associates and customers. Two or three store managers monitored the situation outside the store throughout the emergency, he said.
UPDATE Investigation continues into Henrico job-site accident Lance Martin Herald Staff Writer JACKSON -- The Northampton County Sheriff's Office will continue to investigate a construction site accident in Henrico Monday. Three workers for the South Hill, Va.-based Howerton Construction were injured when the scaffolding they were on gave way at a job site in the Whippoorwill Hills Subdivision. Chief Detective Bill Wheeler said he will review notes taken by Deputy Fontay Macon and conduct his own investigation. Macon forwarded the investigation to the detective division. Four men were on the scaffold when it tilted, causing three of the workers to plunge to the ground. Injured were Frankie Howerton, Frank Edmonds and Brandon Jones. One worker sustained a back injury, one hurt his foot and the other sustained a wrist injury. Two of the workers were transported to Community Memorial Health Center in South Hill while another was taken to Halifax Regional Medical Center in Roanoke Rapids. Their condition reports were not available. A company representative did not immediately return phone calls this morning.
UPDATE Road construction worker's death is ruled a homicide; Streator man, 25, faces charges in May traffic crash July 25, 2003 By OMAR SOFRADZIJA of the Journal Star PEORIA - A Streator man was legally drunk, driving aggressively and lacking a valid license in a crash that fatally injured a road construction worker in LaSalle County in May, a Peoria County coroner's jury was told Thursday. The jury eventually ruled the death of worker John W. Crozier Jr., 40, of 805 N. Wasson St. in Streator as a homicide, concurring with LaSalle County prosecutors who earlier charged driver Douglas Black, 25, with reckless homicide and other criminal counts in connection with the death. Crozier died of head injuries at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center on May 26, four days after he was struck by a sport-utility vehicle driven by Black on Illinois Route 23 just south of Ottawa. Crozier was a flagger in the work zone, and Black was driving north. On the day of the crash, Black "veered sharply left to the southbound lane to try to get around stopped and slow traffic in the construction zone," said LaSalle County sheriff's Sgt. Gregory Jacobsen, before clipping the rear of a dump truck, swerving back into the northbound lane and striking Crozier around 11:15 a.m. Black had "been driving erratically" prior to the crash, Jacobsen said. "Traffic was stop-and-go in the area at the time due to the construction zone." Jacobsen said Black had a blood-alcohol level in excess of 0.08 percent - the state's threshold for intoxication - but he did not have precise results from a blood test. Police found several cans of beer in the rear passenger area of the SUV and an opened can of the same brand outside the vehicle at the crash site. Black had been carrying five passengers, including three children between 3 and 10 years of age. One passenger, Bryan Campagna, 24, of Streator, who was the owner of the SUV, also was injured. Earlier, prosecutors said Black - who had been taking his passengers on a fishing trip - left the scene with two of the children and attempted to hitch a ride with a bystander. Police later caught up with Black, who reportedly admitted being intoxicated. Crozier was an employee of project contractor Advanced Asphalt, a member of Ottawa Laborers Local 911 and a certified flagger. Along with two counts of reckless homicide, Black has been charged with two counts of child endangerment and single counts of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with a blood-alcohol level in excess of 0.08 percent, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and driving with a suspended or revoked drivers' license, Jacobsen said. Black was being held this week in the LaSalle County Jail in lieu of $300,000 bond.
Worker is killed in construction accident A construction worker was run over and killed by a heavy piece of equipment yesterday at a work site in Northeast Philadelphia. The worker, John Myers, 42, of Bensalem, was pronounced dead at Albert Einstein Medical Center. The accident occurred about 8:15 a.m. near Algon Avenue and Levick Street in Oxford Circle. Police accident investigators said Myers walked from behind a truck and apparently fell and was hit by a large backhoe-type vehicle that was backing up. The operator, identified as Willie James, 61, of West Philadelphia, did not see Myers, investigators said. James was taken to Jeanes Hospital after the accident, suffering from chest pains. He was listed in stable condition. No charges were lodged. Both men work for Seravalli Inc., a contracting firm in the Northeast. A spokesman there yesterday said, "We sincerely regret the incident and we are cooperating fully with all the parties investigating it."
Gas explosion injures three in Brentwood By Lara Bricker BRENTWOOD - Three people were injured, one seriously, in a bizarre gas explosion at a condominium development Wednesday morning. Fire officials are still investigating what led to the explosion at the Windsor Meadows condominiums on North Road at 9:30 a.m., Brentwood Deputy Fire Chief Joe Bird said. The fire department received the 911 call from a third party after the fact as the three injured men drove themselves to the hospital. Their names were not available as the fire department did not transport them, but it is believed the most seriously injured man was transported to a Boston hospital, he said. Two of the men were from Tri-State Sprinkler and one was a plumber. They had gone into a utility building on the property to repair some sprinkler pipes using a soldering torch, Bird explained. The building has a small opening in the floor, which leads to a small basement area that is about 6 feet by 8 feet in size. One man was in the basement with the torch, while another looked on through the opening in the floor and the other stood by, Bird said. "He lit the torch and when he lit the torch it caused a flash explosion," Bird said, adding the man looking down into the hole was seriously injured. "He caught the full blast." The three managed to get into a van and head to the hospital. "They were very lucky," Bird said, adding the injuries could have been much worse. The fire department, with the help of the fire marshal’s office, spent all day Wednesday trying to determine what kind of gas had caused the explosion. Air samples from the area have been sent out for testing. "We’re not sure exactly what it was yet," Bird said. In the meantime, the utility building has been blocked off so that no one can enter.
Council Bluffs man killed in forklift rollover COURTNEY BRUMMER , Staff Writer 07/25/2003 OMAHA - A Council Bluffs man was killed Thursday morning at a construction site in Omaha when a forklift rolled over on top of him. James Kirk, 42, of Council Bluffs was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident occurred at the Quality Pork International worksite in southwest Omaha around 11:20 a.m. Kirk, a forklift operator, was working for KFR Inc., a company subcontracted by Dietzel Enterprises to work on installing a support wall at the business, according to Omaha Police Sgt. Cathy Cook. Kirk was operating an extended reach forklift when the accident occurred. "It appears he had been going down a narrow, dirt road and got too close to the edge," Cook said. While the hill on the side of the road wasn't steep, it was enough for the forklift to lose balance and start to slide. Cook said Kirk either tried to jump from the forklift or he may have thought the forklift had stopped moving and tried to get out when it turned over. When the forklift overturned, it pinned Kirk underneath. The forklift was estimated to be roughly 18,000 pounds, Cook said. Two people at the scene witnessed the rollover and called for emergency rescue. Cook said it is believed another piece of machinery was used to lift the forklift off Kirk, and she added the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is still investigating.
Marysville man electrocuted on the job identified LAKE STEVENS -- The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office has released the name of a man who died after being electrocuted at a work site Tuesday afternoon. William Ross, 51, was using a cable to guide a piece of steel to the ground at Concrete Nor'West in the 15400 block of 84th Street NE. The crane lifting the steel hit a high-voltage power line, according to Snohomish County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Jan Jorgensen. The Marysville man was taken to Providence Everett Medical Center, where he died a short time later. The medical examiner's office ruled the death an accident. The state Department of Labor and Industries will conduct a standard investigation to determine if the company failed to protect the worker's safety, said department spokeswoman Elaine Fischer. That investigation likely will take two to three months, she said.
Hathaway Bridge Accident One worker died and three others were hospitalized Wednesday morning in a construction accident on the East bound lane of the new Hathaway Bridge in Panama City Beach. The accident happened around 6:45 a.m. when a section of scaffolding collapsed and fell about 50 feet into the water. Four men went into the water with the scaffolding. One man who was fastened to the scaffolding with a safety harness, apparently was trapped under water. The rescuers were unable to reach him in time. He died at the scene. He is identified as 44-year-old Alan Stockton of Panama City Beach. Two others were rescued and taken to a local hospital for treatment. The fourth man managed to survive the fall uninjured. Another worker, who jumped in to help rescue the trapped man, was injured and he too was taken to the hospital.
Contractor electrocuted on top of light tower The Associated Press 7/24/2003, 2:37 p.m. ET JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A contractor who was replacing lights on top of a 90-foot baseball stadium light tower died of electrocution, authorities determined Thursday. John H. Lill, 72, died Wednesday at the historic Point Stadium in Johnstown, said Jim Zangaglia, Cambria County chief deputy coroner. The light standard carried 4,100 volts of electricity. "I don't know how much went through him but there's that much juice that lights up that tower," Zangaglia said. Lill, retired city electrician, was replacing lights in preparation for a baseball tournament at the ballpark when he stopped responding to radio contact, Johnstown Recreation Director Cliff Kitner said. Firefighters climbed the steel tower and found Lill unconscious. He was pronounced dead less than an hour later. Because Lill worked for himself, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration won't be participating in the investigation, Zangaglia said. Information from: The Tribune-Democrat
Small Fire in Civic Center KFYR TV Bismarck firefighters spent the afternoon handling a small fire..in a *big* building. There was a flareup in the Bismarck Civic Center arena just before 1:00 this afternoon. A crew was doing some welding... and sparks ignited some blankets that were covering the seats. About five rows of seats were damaged. But the battalion chief says that's not the worst of the damage. Kurt Leben/Battalion Chief: Put out quite a bit of smoke so it also activated the sprinkler system so we're probably going to have a little more with water and smoke damage than with actual fire damage. No one was hurt in the fire.
PENNDOT worker hit by vehicle A state Department of Transportation worker helping to resurface Banetown Road in Amwell Township was injured about 1 p.m. Monday when he was struck by a vehicle. Robert Puskas of Marianna was putting yellow tape on the road to mark the center line when he was hit by a vehicle driven by Gertrude Roupe of Washington. Puskas was admitted to Washington Hospital, where he remained Tuesday. Jeff Breen, Washington county maintenance manager forPENNDOT, said the crew had just finished paving that portion of the road. He said it was a signed construction area with warning signs. State police said Roupe will be cited for failure to drive at a safe speed. Breen said that Puskas is the first PENNDOT employee to be hit by a vehicle in a Washington County construction area in several years.
Wall falls on construction worker By: Greg Pallone, News 14 Carolina HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. -- One worker was seriously injured Tuesday when a wall that was under construction at a Huntersville shopping center fell on him. It happened at the Rosedale Shopping center off of Gilead Road. A two-story office building was under construction, and the worker was helping stand a stud wall -- a wall that has no sheetrock or plywood -- on the second floor. Officials estimated the wall weighs about 400 pounds and is 30 feet long and 10 feet high. Officials said the workers did not have enough people to put it up. Officials said they were not sure as to the extent of the injuries. The wall came crashing down, and all but one worker were able to get out of the way. The wall fell on top of the 160-pound worker. Firefighters said once they arrived on the scene, other workers had pulled him out from under the wall. Paramedics said he was suffering from back and neck injuries and was in an extreme amount of pain. "When we got here, the fellow workers had already removed him from the debris and he was just lying on the floor," Huntersville Volunteer Fire Chief Larry Irvin said. Officials said they were not sure as to the extent of the injuries. The worker was transported to Carolinas Medical Center for treatment.
Trench-digging yields gusher on Willamette campus TARA MCLAIN Statesman Journal July 23, 2003 Marigolds at Willamette University got more than a sprinkle Tuesday when a facilities worker hit a city water main while digging a trench. A geyser of muddy water erupted from a 6-inch pipe running under the lawns between Waller Hall and State Street, just south of the state Capitol. The hourlong gusher caused no damage, although two nearby university buildings lost water service for a short time. Tom Neal, Willamette’s facilities director, said the work crew knew the location of the pipe but thought it was buried deeper. The crew was digging shallow trenches for an irrigation system near the Star Trees with a trencher machine. The trencher’s rotating blades clipped off an old, capped connection that was closer to the surface than the rest of the pipe, which was not damaged, said Bud Armstrong, a maintenance foreman with the city’s Public Works Department. Armstrong estimated that the pipe was installed between 1910 and 1920. The city had recently surveyed the area for other construction work nearby and had marked where the pipe was, Armstrong said. “It’s one of those where they knew it was here, but they were hoping it wasn’t that shallow,” he said. Although there was no estimate of the water loss, it was nothing compared with the 2 million gallons that spewed from a broken 24-inch main downtown in late May. That break caused thousands of dollars in damage to vehicles and businesses near Liberty and Ferry streets SE. Tara McLain can be reached at (503) 399-6705.
Three injured in scaffolding accident Lance Martin Herald Staff Writer HENRICO -- Three construction workers were hospitalized Monday morning when scaffolding they were working on tilted over, the Northampton County Sheriff's Office said. A construction worker at the scene off River Road in the Whippoorwill Hills subdivision said the workers, including the job foreman, fell between 15 to 20 feet while working on a house. The worker for Howerton Construction of Gasburg, Va., offered no other details. Deputy Fontay Macon said a construction worker told him around 9:15 a.m., four men were on the scaffold when it tilted, causing three men to plunge to the ground. Injured were Frankie Howerton, Frank Edmonds and Brandon Jones. No ages or addresses were available. Macon said one worker sustained a back injury, one hurt his foot and the other sustained a wrist injury. Macon said it was not clear who sustained which injury. Two of the workers were transported to Community Memorial Health Center in South Hill, Va., while another was taken Halifax Regional Medical Center in Roanoke Rapids. Macon said it was not clear which man was transported to which hospital. Macon planned to turn the accident over to the detective division for further investigation.
Five electrocuted in crane accident From correspondents in Beijing 24jul03 FIVE workers died when they were electrocuted as the arm of their mechanical crane grazed high-tension wires in Shijiazhuang in northern China, state media reported today. The accident occurred yesterday as the workers were moving the crane across a construction site at a cement factory. Five of the workers were electrocuted and the driver was ejected from the seat of the vehicle. He was taken to hospital where he remains with serious burns. Police sources cited by Xinhua said the cause of the accident is under investigation.
Construction Worker Rescued From Downtown Building; Worker Suffers Strained Back Story by WESH.com ORLANDO, Fla. -- A construction worker was rescued from a building under construction in downtown Orlando Wednesday. It happened at the new Lynx building at 455 N. Garland Ave., WESH NewsChannel 2 reported. The worker apparently strained his back, and had to be placed in a Stokes basket and lowered to the ground, Orlando Fire Department Deputy Chief Kathy Miller said. tokes baskets have metal frames and allow patients to be moved over rugged or hazardous areas, Miller said. The worker suffered minor injuries and is expected to be OK.
Man injured in construction accident The Wayne County Sheriff’s Department is investigating an accident at an industrial site in the Town of Rose Monday morning that injured a construction worker. The unidentified man was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Hospital. The Wayne County Sheriff''s Department tells NEWS 10NBC the accident happened on Galen Road. The man was working underground in a junction box and was apparently testing some pipes, when according to the Wayne County Sheriff''s department an explosion of some type occurred. The Wayne County Sheriff''s Department is not releasing any more information.
Firecrew help fall worker Jul 22, 2003, 14:49:00 Firefighters went to the aid of an injured workman at Kidderminster's new Weavers Wharf shopping complex. The workman, who had fallen off a ladder and had a suspected broken bone in his foot, was on scaffolding 30ft up when he was hurt yesterday afternoon. Sub officer Mick Rowlands of Kidderminster fire station said a turntable ladder from Worcester was sent for, and the workman was lowered to the ground on a stretcher before being taken to hospital. Mr Rowlands said: "He was a young, fit man and was not in any distress."
Labourer killed, another injured in wall collapse Aida Ahmad PENANG, Mon. A labourer was crushed to death and another seriously injured when part of a wall collapsed on them while they were doing renovation works at a pre-war shophouse in Lebuh King today. Tan Ka Khoon, 39, of Kampung Melayu in Air Itam, was killed on the spot after being buried under the rubble. His co-worker, Tan Chun Hua, 24, was warded at the Penang Hospital. Twenty firemen rushed to the scene after receiving a call at 11.40am. They recovered Tan's body 20 minutes later. The department's superintendent, Nazri Zakaria, said the collapse might have been caused by renovation works carried out by the two. "The piling on the foundation apparently caused a vibration, resulting in the collapse of the wall." A worker at the nearby Poe Choo Seah Association, who only wanted to be known as Choong, said he made an emergency call to 999 at 10.45am "but no one answered". "It was frustrating because after that, I called the Civil Defence Department and still no one answered the call. It was only 10 minutes later that I finally got through to 991." The association's caretaker, Khoo Kay Hin, 86, said he heard a loud noise at 10.30am upon returning from breakfast. "There were debris and dust ... I could not see what was happening." Padang Kota State Assemblyman Teng Chang Yeow, who was at the scene, said the Penang Island Municipal Council building inspector should have ensured that renovations were done according to procedures. Council president Mahadi Mohd Ibrahim, who was also present, said he had instructed his officers to investigate whether approval was given for the renovation works.
I-85 In Durham County Reopens After Construction Accident DURHAM, N.C. -- Traffic is flowing again on Interstate 85 through Durham County. Both lanes of I-85 South near Roxboro Road were shut down Monday afternoon when a piece of construction equipment fell over into the road. Crews had to bring in a crane to lift it out of the way. The interstate opened again around 5 p.m.
One woman killed after massive crane crushes pickup in St. John's Canadian Press Monday, July 21, 2003 ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. (CP) - One woman was killed Monday when a 170-tonne crane truck lost control and crushed a pickup in downtown St. John's. The crane truck had exited a major highway onto New Gower Street when it veered off the road, collided with a utility pole and and struck the pickup. Police did not release the name of the woman killed. "The woman was . . . trapped inside," said Staff Sgt. June Layden of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. "The regional fire department is arranging for extraction of the body." The mobile crane also hit two parked cars, but there were no other injuries. The accident also temporarily knocked out power to much of the downtown.
Worker dies after Santee Cooper trench collapse (Georgetown-AP) July 18, 2003 - A man who had been on a construction job for two weeks was killed when dirt collapsed on him while he was digging a trench at Santee Cooper's Winyah Generating Station. Georgetown County Coroner Kenny Johnson said 30-year-old Scott May was suffocated Wednesday. He had been working with North Charleston-based Landmark Construction after being laid off from Georgetown Steel on June 29th. The crew was building a foundation for a structure at the power plant on US Highway 17. May became the fifth person killed in a construction accident since December in Horry and Georgetown counties and the second person working construction to die this week.
Worker pinned by machine, dies By Pamela Perez, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Friday, July 18, 2003 BOCA RATON -- Investigators are probing the death of a construction worker who was crushed by a lift machine Monday in a work-related accident. Firefighters found 49-year-old Aldo Lopez about 1 p.m. pinned to the ceiling of a parking garage by a platform lift machine at 101 Renaissance Centre, according to police. Emergency workers struggled for several hours to free Lopez's body. Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials are investigating how Lopez became trapped by the Genie Z-30/20 platform lift he had been operating. Lopez, an assistant superintendent, worked for two years as a labor foreman and carpenter for local Mummaw & Associates Inc., which is building the structure for Penn-Florida Companies and PBM Development. The work-related death is the first major accident on a Mummaw & Associates construction site, the firm said. OSHA inspectors found no violations of federal safety standards during two surprise inspections at the site this year. Being pinned by a machine, electrocuted, struck, and falling are the four most frequent causes for construction fatalities, OSHA area Director Louis R. Santiago said. Mummaw & Associates obtained visas and airfare for Lopez's two adult children to fly from Argentina and join their mother for a funeral.
Shock sends worker to hospital By Doug Murphy Staff Writer A workman was shocked and slightly injured while wiring lights at Desert Vista High School around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. Fred Van Aller was working with fluorescent light wiring in the physical education building when he was shocked and fell off a ladder, according to co-worker Dwight Price. Both work for KSK Electric, based in Tempe. Van Aller received a burn to his hand and was shaken up in the fall, "but he's talking and breathing and everything," Price said. Phoenix paramedics transported Van Aller to Chandler Regional Hospital for treatment.
Man killed in scaffold tumble, ag worker injured in city fall By Herald-Tribune staff An elderly painter was killed in a worksite accident Thursday in Wabasca. Mounties said the 70-year-old-man died after falling more than 4.5 metres from a scaffolding he was using while painting the interior of Wabasca's new swimming pool. Foul play is not suspected, and police have turned the investigation over to Alberta Occupational Health and Safety. Wabasca is about 120 kilometres northeast of Slave Lake. Occupational Health and Safety is also investigating an incident that occurred at Agricore United's fertilizer storage and blending facility in Grande Prairie. A employee of Spray-Air Technologies, a company contracted to do some routine maintenance, fell off a fertilizer deck onto cement six to 7.5 metres (20 to 25 feet) below. The man was transported to University Hospital in Edmonton, said Linda Park, spokeswoman with Occupational Health and Safety. Agricore United general manager of operations TJ Hinton said they'll be working with the company and occupational health and safety on the investigation.
Mechanic crushed to death at Ocean Breeze work site; Gruesome accident kills 47-year old in side yard of private home Sunday, July 20, 2003 By MICHAEL SCHOLL STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE A 47-year-old mechanic was killed in Ocean Breeze yesterday when he was crushed by a front-end loader. The gruesome construction accident happened around 1:15 p.m. in the side yard of a private home at 720 Liberty Ave. John Willis, of Staten Island, was repairing the loader when its shovel, which had been in the up position, suddenly shifted downward, according to Detective Brian Sessa, a police spokesman. The downward motion pinned Willis underneath one of the mechanical arms that connect the shovel to the loader's frame. He was squeezed between the arm and the frame and ultimately crushed. Willis was pronounced dead at 1:50 p.m. in Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, Sessa said. He was a mechanic employed by the Midland Beach branch of The Tool Depot, a firm that rents and sells tools and construction equipment. He had been sent to the site to repair a rented loader that workers were using to clear the home's yard. Neighbors who came to aid Willis said it looked as if he got caught in the loader's machinery while working on the vehicle. One neighbor, Manuel Perez, said the yard workers reacted in horror as they saw Willis being crushed. "I heard somebody screaming," said Perez, who was at a friend's house across the street from the accident scene when he heard the workers wail for help. The yard workers joined Perez and a few more neighbors in a bid to free Willis from the machine. Three or four men who were working on a house under construction on nearby Buel Avenue also joined the rescue attempt. But the work was difficult. "We were struggling to get leverage," said Perez, who said it took about five or 10 minutes to free Willis. By the time he was pried from the machine, Willis was critically injured. Perez said he showed no sign of a pulse. "He was non-responsive," Perez said. Willis was loaded into an Emergency Medical Service ambulance that arrived at the scene in response to a 911 call. He was rushed to the hospital emergency room a few blocks away, but his injuries were too severe to be overcome. Detectives from the 122nd Precinct examined the accident scene yesterday and began an investigation into the incident. No charges had been filed against anyone as of last night. Calls placed to The Tool Depot's Midland Beach, Port Richmond and New Brighton offices were not answered. The owner of the home at 720 Liberty Ave. could not be reached for comment.
Worker Dies In Elevator Shaft; Fell to death at Stony Brook school By Samuel Bruchey and Chao Xiong STAFF WRITERS July 17, 2003 An Oakdale man working inside a junior high school in Stony Brook died yesterday after falling down a two-story elevator shaft, Suffolk police said. Andrew Amarando, 32, and at least one co-worker were installing telephone cables inside the Robert C. Murphy Junior High School at 351 Oxhead Rd., Homicide Det. Sgt. Vincent Posillico said. At about 9 a.m., Amarando stepped through a press board covering in the attic of the two-story building and fell down the shaft, Posillico said. "It really wasn't designed to hold much [weight]," he said. Amarando became wedged between the elevator car and the wall of the shaft, Posillico said. The elevator car had to be dismantled before Amarando's body could be removed. It took police and Setauket firefighters four hours to extricate his body and remove it from the shaft, Posillico said. It was unclear exactly when he died. But "nobody heard him calling out from the shaft," a police source said. Amarando was pronounced dead at the scene and taken to the Suffolk County medical examiner's office in Hauppauge for an autopsy. Amarando's relatives declined to comment. His employer, Cable Reddy of Selden, did not return calls for comment. Posillico said it was Amarando's third day working at the school. There were no children in the building at the time of the accident, Three Village District Superintendent John Sonedecker said. Other contracted workers and school maintenance staff were present in the two-story red-brick building when the accident occurred, he said, adding that a custodian reported the incident.
Flagger crushed by dump truck - Investigators puzzling together how man died 2003-07-17 by Catherine Hawley Journal Reporter BELLEVUE -- A 56-year-old construction flagger was killed Wednesday when he apparently was crushed by a dump truck on Northeast 162nd Avenue. No one witnessed the accident, and investigators spent much of the rest of the day trying to figure out exactly what happened. Larry McMurchy of Seattle was pronounced dead at the scene. He was discovered under the 90,000-pound truck about 7:40 a.m. after another worker saw his flagger's sign lying in the road but did not see him, said Marcia Harnden, Bellevue police spokeswoman. ``The driver didn't know anything happened'' until a co-worker called to him to stop, Harnden said. Bellevue Fire Department crews extricated McMurchy, but he could not be revived. He was declared dead just after 8 a.m. Parts of 162nd Avenue and Northeast 26th Street in the residential area near Interlake High School were closed for five hours so that officials from local and state agencies could investigate the accident. McMurchy was part of a six-member crew from Emerald Construction of Seattle replacing a water line for a city utilities project. Just before the accident, the dump truck emptied a load of gravel, Harnden said. It was then backing south on 162nd when a worker noticed the flagger missing. The dump truck driver was a 39-year-old man from Eatonville, Harnden said. A chaplain from Eastside Fire and Rescue was called to the scene to speak with McMurchy's co-workers. Efforts to reach Emerald Construction officials for comment were unsuccessful. The accident was the second in six weeks on the Eastside in which a dump truck crushed a flagger. On May 30, a truck backed over county roads worker Tonya Riexinger, 40, on Southeast Middle Fork Road near Snoqualmie. The state Department of Labor and Industries investigation into that incident won't be complete for another month or two, said spokeswoman Elaine Fischer. Officials will compare the two accidents, she said, though it's too early to speculate in either case why the worker could not get out of the truck's way. ``Flagger safety is a huge concern,'' Fischer said. An autopsy by King County Medical Examiners may help explain what happened. Also investigating were Bellevue police and Washington State Patrol, which oversees commercial-vehicle accidents. Wednesday morning, investigators took measurements and photographs. They used a rolling board to slide beneath the truck and inspect the undercarriage. The truck's warning signal could be heard when it was backed up a few feet. While they worked, a little farther down 162nd Avenue a long-handled stop sign, the kind flaggers use to direct traffic, rested upside down against a telephone pole.
UPDATE Hurt carpenter receives $2.4M By Michael Zeigler Staff Writer July 17, 2003) — A Greece construction worker has accepted a $2.45 million settlement for serious injuries he suffered while helping build a prison in Seneca County. James M. Weiser, 41, settled on Tuesday with an insurance company indemnifying New York state after one day of testimony in a trial in the state Court of Claims in Syracuse. The trial was being held to determine how much Weiser was entitled to in damages. Judge Nicholas V. Midey Jr. had previously ruled that the state was responsible for Weiser’s injuries because of the failure of state-required safety devices. Weiser, a carpenter, received a broken right hip and a back injury when he was pinned between a concrete wall and a metal panel used to form the wall at Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus on June 25, 1999. The $180 million maximum-security prison opened the next year. Weiser was standing on top of the wall, secured with a safety harness and lanyard, as he directed the removal of the panel by an excavator. But the adjacent panel, to which his lanyard was attached, also was pulled loose, causing him to fall into the gap between the panel and the wall. The panel swung back and pinned him between the wall and the panel, crushing his hip. Weiser can no longer work as a carpenter, which had paid him up to $70,000 a year, said his lawyer, Joe Moran of the Rochester law firm of Moran & Kufta. Nearly half of the settlement - $1.2 million - will reimburse Weiser for lost wages and benefits over his lifetime, Moran said. An insurance company insuring the state against the claim offered $1.25 million several days before the trial began, Moran said. A settlement that nearly doubled that offer was reached after negotiations and the beginning of the trial.
Blaze at Bayside co-op; Plumbing repair work linked to 3-alarm fire By WARREN WOODBERRY Jr. DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER A stubborn three-alarm fire in Bayside yesterday may have been touched off by workers using a propane torch to do plumbing repairs, a fire official said. Fire Chief Patrick McNally said the blaze started at 1:36 p.m. yesterday in the basement of 217-24 73rd Ave. in the Windsor Oaks Apartments complex. Tenants were safely evacuated. Six firefighters suffered minor injuries and were treated at area hospitals. It took about 138 firefighters to bring the fire under control at 4:05 p.m. Four apartments in the two-story brick building were affected. One apartment on each floor sustained the most damage, McNally said. McNally said the fire spread from the basement, where the plumbers had been working, and then up to the second floor through the building's wooden floorboards. Fire marshals are investigating the cause of the blaze. Celeste Dippel, 46, said firefighters allowed her to rescue her parakeet, JoJo, from her second-floor apartment after she received a phone call at work that the building was on fire. "We had our life in there," said Dippel, who has lived in the complex for 15 years and has brought up her daughter, Julia, 9, there. Dippel said she and tenants in her building had been without hot water for some time, and that Tuesday, contractors had been working on the building's boiler. "They had been fixing it for the past couple of days," said Dippel, a former co-op board member. Displaced tenants were provided shelter at area hotels through the Red Cross. Dippel said she would stay with friends. "Accidents happen. What can you do? It didn't mean to happen," Dippel said. Windsor Oaks Apartments, a co-op community with some rental apartments, has 900 units on 37 acres of land.
Chesapeake Police Believe Norfolk Repairman Electrocuted to Death Chesapeake police believe a Norfolk repairman was electrocuted to death Wednesday afternoon while repairing a retail store's air conditioning system. Around 5:00pm, emergency personnel responded to the Ames Department Store in the 1900 block of South Military Highway after store personnel lost contact with 38-year old Eric Bean. Bean, of the 2900 block of Murry Court in Norfolk, was on the roof of the Ames store repairing the air conditioning. Rescuers found Bean's body in the store's duct work. While police believe Bean was electrocuted, his body was sent to the Medical Examiner's office to determine the exact cause of death. Bean worked for Technical Services of Chesapeake.
Man Killed In Metro Construction Accident POSTED: 11:39 a.m. CDT July 17, 2003 OKLAHOMA CITY -- A 71-year-old man helping build a home was killed in a construction accident. Wayne Brown was using a front-end loader Wednesday to hoist a 1,000-pound, 16-foot piece of angle iron when the iron came loose, slid down the loader's arms and hit him in the head, Oklahoma City fire Maj. Brian Stanaland said. Brown was pronounced dead at the scene.
Construction digging creates 2 gas leaks; Pipes shifting over time may have contributed to the accident, officials say. By Ebony M. Moore Contributor to The Shorthorn by Kateryna Ivanova The Shorthorn staff Two gas leaks caused fire fighters to block off a segment of Cooper Street from UTA Boulevard to Division Street Tuesday afternoon. An eight-inch gap in the major gas line that goes through the city was discovered at the corner of Cooper and Main streets, said Battalion Chief David Stapp of Arlington Fire Department. The second, smaller leak occurred at Cooper and Abram streets and was much easier to repair, he added. The Arlington Fire Department evacuated several businesses in the area, including the Diamond Shamrock gas station at Cooper and Abram streets and the Parks and Recreation Building and Bobby Davis Bail Bonds at Cooper and Main streets. Officials said the accident was caused by a road construction crew working on the street. Workers were digging at the intersection of Cooper and Main streets when they cut the line for the first time, Stapp said. When it became impossible to work at the site due to the smell, they moved a block up the street, where they dug into the pipes again, he said. Stapp said he did not know what company hired the construction workers or who made the report about the gas leaks. Road maps distributed to the workers are not always accurate and can be up to 10 years old, said Lieutenant Randy Ingram, Arlington Fire Department public information officer. Ground tends to shift over the years and pipes are slowly displaced in one direction or another, he explained. “Obviously, they don’t have X-ray vision — they have to assume that there’s nothing below them, so they just start digging,” he said. Oncor Gas Company was in charge of the repair. Workers planned to expose the gas line, fit a clamp around and tighten it to stop the leak, Ingram said. They will come back later to mend the hole in the pipe. The line runs through the major parts of the city, providing gas to a number of businesses and households, he added, which is why the company does not want to shut it down. It would also take a long time to start the system back up — and that is too much work, he said. “Oncor has no idea how long it’s going to take,” Stapp said. “We have crews who are monitoring the surrounding area for accumulation of gas using gas monitors.” Stapp said the major issue facing repair crews is heat. The firemen have to be rotated every few minutes because they are wearing full fire gear, he explained. Hot weather, however, will not affect the gas, he added. Sergeant Richard Grimmett of the Arlington Police Department said traffic is usually light for the intersections, so no major road problems are expected. “Everything is pretty well-contained right now, and the repair crew is doing their job. [Oncor] does it all the time — they’re very professional,” he said. “But if they cause a spark while they’re trying to repair it, it can be catastrophic.”
4th Grand Strand construction worker dies since Dec. (Myrtle Beach-AP) July 16, 2003 - A construction worker has died after falling about 40 feet from the roof of a building in Horry County. Horry County Coroner Robert Edge said 41-year-old Alfonso Morales of Loris died Tuesday afternoon. Morales is the fourth worker to die in a construction-related accident on the Grand Strand since December. Last year there were 27 construction-related deaths in South Carolina, according to the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. The most common causes of construction deaths in South Carolina are falls, being struck by an object and electrocution.
Man burned as drill hits power vault By STAFF WRITER ALAMEDA -- A subcontractor who accidentally drilled into a power vault at Alameda Point sustained critical third-degree burns Tuesday morning, Alameda officials said. The Stockton man was airlifted to Eden Valley Medical Center in Castro Valley and later transferred to the burn unit at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition Tuesday night, city officials said. "Apparently the burns are really, really bad," said Deputy Fire Chief Steve Jones. The 28-year-old man, whose name wasn't released, was severely burned on both hands, on at least one side of his body, and on one foot. Witnesses started CPR, and an emergency helicopter arrived within five minutes of the accident, Jones said. Charles Sanford, owner of Charles B. Sanford Construction, said his employee accidentally drilled into a 12-kilovolt primary distribution circuit serving the area. He was trenching to install telephone equipment, city officials said. The worker started work with Charles B. Sanford Construction in Winton on Monday, Sanford said. Sanford said he is a friend of his sons. "I believe that unfortunately it was an accident," said Sanford. "He was operating a drill, which doesn't require much safety training." Sanford said the area had been checked by two groups who tested for, but did not locate, the circuit. Matt McCabe, a spokesman for Alameda Power & Telecom, which operates and maintains the electrical system that was drilled into, said the incident occurred 11:30 a.m. on West Ranger Avenue. The distribution circuit was installed initially by the U.S. Navy to serve portions of the former Alameda Naval Air Station. Sanford Construction is a subcontractor to Mobile Modular. The company is retained to install temporary facilities to house a Head Start project being run by the Alameda Point Collaborative. The incident resulted in an electrical outage to approximately 300 customers. Alameda Power & Telecom crews restored power within an hour.
UPDATE Condition Of Worker Injured In Hit-And-Run Improves; Former Local Weatherman Charged In Crash POSTED: 5:13 p.m. EDT July 15, 2003 CLEVELAND -- A construction worker injured last week in a hit-and-run crash is now in good condition. NewsChannel5 reported that Brad Davis, 20, was hit while working on Interstate 480 near the Jennings Freeway. Another worker was slightly hurt but was treated and released. Police said former Cleveland weather forecaster David Rogers was allegedly behind the wheel. Rogers has been charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault and leaving the scene of an accident.
Construction accident at new bridge injures worker By BLAKE NICHOLSON, Associated Press Writer A Texas man working on the new Four Bears Bridge west of New Town was seriously injured in a crane accident, officials say. Ballwin, Mo.-based Fru-Con Construction Corp. said the worker was injured June 26 when he was hit and knocked to the ground when a track on a crane came loose while a piece of equipment was being moved. The worker was airlifted to a Minot hospital and later taken to a hospital in Texas, Fru-Con spokesman Cam Green said Tuesday. Green said the company is not identifying the man and not releasing information on his injuries. "He is recovering," Green said. He said the cause of the incident is still being investigated, "and will be for some time." "We know how it happened; we don't know why it happened," Green said. Bruce Beelman, area director in Bismarck for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said the agency is investigating the incident. "It takes time to interview employees," he said. "It's just unpredictable as far as how long it can take as far as getting all the information we need to get to make a decision." Paul Braun, a spokesman for the North Dakota Department of Transportation, said the state is referring all questions to Fru-Con. Construction of the new $55 million bridge got under way in May and is scheduled to be done by the fall of 2004. The mile-long bridge is replacing a structure that has been deemed too narrow for modern traffic. It is being financed with state and federal funds. The bridge will have two 12-foot-wide driving lanes with 8-foot-wide shoulders, and a 10-foot-wide walkway. The current bridge is only about 20 feet wide.
Construction worker injured near Denver Athletic Club Written By: Susan Wells DENVER - A city public works employee was seriously injured Tuesday after a roto mill construction machine ran him over. The accident happened around 11:15 a.m. at 14th and Glenarm in front of the Denver Athletic Club. The victim was transported to Denver Health Medical Center. Police officers on the scene say he was breathing but was seriously injured. A roto mill is a machine that picks up concrete and grinds it. The crew was working on Glenarm from Colfax to 15th St. milling, or taking up the old pavement.
Ditch cave-in claims worker; Limestone man killed; probe under way Tamara Sharman , The Daily Journal July 15, 2003 Emergency personnel labored for more than seven hours to free the body of a young worker who became entombed when a ditch collapsed at the Kankakee Roper plant Monday. "Almost always these cases are asphyxia cases," Kankakee County Coroner James Kelly said. "I think that he died very quickly, probably within minutes," Kelly stated. An autopsy will be performed today, but Kelly expects the results will confirm that Barber asphyxiated when his body was compressed by the heavy, wet clay. OSHA is investigating the incident. At presstime it was unclear whom Barber was working for at the time of the deadly accident. But he was part of a crew that was tending to a leaking water or sewer pipe beneath the floor at the plant at 2207 W. Court St. The workers had removed concrete and dug a trench approximately eight to 10 feet deep, three feet wide and 12 feet long. "It appears that they did not shore the trench at all," Kelly said of the workers. Barber was trapped when the trench collapsed. "He was 90 percent buried," recalled Assistant Chief Ron Young of the Kankakee Fire Department. Firefighters were summoned to the old factory at 1:22 p.m. and arrived four minutes later, Capt. David Harmon said. Help also came from the Kankakee County Tactical Rescue Team, which consists of firefighters from area departments. Barber's co-workers tried unsuccessfully to save him. The initial rescue efforts by Kankakee police and Kankakee firefighters also failed. Rescue workers were at risk from further collapse of the unstable trench, Harmon said. A concrete slab was then cut away and the sides of the trench were shored up to stabilize the area, according to firefighters. Then came the hours-long effort to free Barber. "It's a very tedious, time-consuming effort," Young said. The accident highlights the dangers inherent in trench labor. "An unprotected trench can collapse in under a second," Harmon noted. Emergency personnel from Aroma Park, Bradley, Bourbonnais, Limestone, Kankakee Township and Limestone Township fire departments assisted. Kankakee County Sheriff's Police also were at the scene. Young believes the response to the tragic accident shows the ability of area firefighters to work together in times of crisis. "It definitely demonstrates the need to have a well-trained tactical rescue team," Young said. None of Barber's co-workers was injured. A firefighter received a minor eye injury. Funeral arrangements for Nathan Barber are pending at the Kankakee chapel of Schreffler Funeral Homes. "Our sympathies and condolences go out to the family of the victim," Young stated.
Construction worker injured 7/15/2003 4:45 PM By: Capital News 9 web staff A construction worker fell 20 feet to the ground in Warren County Tuesday. The county sheriff's office said Ronald Bauer fell off a roof at a job site on Garnet Lake Road in Johnsburg. Authorities said when Bauer fell, he struck his head on a stone wall on the way down. The 67-year-old Johnsburg man suffered serious head injuries. Paramedics responded to the scene and Bauer was later airlifted to Albany Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition.
Welder electrocuted at Gainesville construction site GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- A welder was apparently electrocuted while working on a metal balcony at a construction site, authorities said. Javier Gonzales, 37, of Norcross, Ga., died in Sunday's accident, said Sgt. Keith Faulk, an Alachua County Sheriff's Office spokesman. Workers told authorities that Gonzales, an employee of Allen Steel Products of Arlington, Tenn., was installing a metal subfloor on a balcony using an 8,000 watt welding machine. A co-worker said he left Gonzales to retrieve some material and returned to find him unconscious and not breathing. Workers performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation until emergency medical workers arrived. Although detectives are awaiting the results of an autopsy, authorities believe he was electrocuted by the welding machine, Faulk said. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating, Faulk said. Associated Press
Construction worker dies in accident Written By: Susan Wells DENVER - A construction worker died after an accident Monday morning on Yosemite just south of the I-225 interchange. An asphalt truck hit and killed a construction worker. Police say it was an accident. A Denver Public Works spokesperson says it was a paving crew of general contractors hired to pave some roads in Denver that was involved. The worker who died was not from the Denver area. We will have more on this story as it becomes available.
Suspected drunk driver critically injures freeway construction worker ABC13 Eyewitness News (7/07/03 - HOUSTON) — A man faces charges of intoxication assault after officials say he hit two construction workers with his car while he was drunk. Sheriff's deputies say the workers were fixing a drainage pipe on the North Freeway and Louetta Saturday morning when the car hit them. One worker had his leg amputated by the accident and was taken to the hospital. Right now, he's in critical condition. The other worker only suffered a few scrapes and bruises.
Norwalk worker remains critical KATIE GALLAGHER , Morning Journal Writer 07/12/2003 CLEVELAND -- The Norwalk college student seriously injured by a driver while working on a road project remains hospitalized in critical condition, according to hospital officials. Brad Davis, 20, of Norwalk is listed in critical condition at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, according to the hospital, as a result of the early Thursday morning accident on Interstate 480. Davis and Lake Erie Construction Company co-worker Jeremy Prelipp, 25, of Willard, were reportedly hit by a Land Rover driven by David Rogers, 44, of Orange about 4 a.m. as they repaired a guardrail on I-480 westbound near the I-176 northbound exit, according to Cleveland police reports. Rogers is a weatherman for WCBS-TV in New York City, according to the station. A statement from Lake Erie Construction Company in Norwalk said that MetroHealth doctors have successfully contained internal bleeding from Davis' spleen following surgery Thursday morning. ''That surgery returned his blood pressure to levels that allowed additional surgery T ursday evening to reset the broken bones in Brad's legs,'' the statement said. Prelipp was treated and released from MetroHealth on Thursday, according to the statement. Lake Erie Construction Company Safety Director Ken Bleile said Prelipp suffered cuts and bruises, had stitches and may have problems with his knee. Bleile said that Prelipp has worked for the company for two or three years. ''We're hoping that he's back next week,'' Bleile said. ''He's a pretty tough guy.'' Rogers was charged yesterday morning with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault and one count of leaving the scene, according to Detective Nancy Dominik, assistant public information officer for the Cleveland Police Department. Rogers is scheduled to appear in Cleveland Municipal Court today at 8:30 a.m. for his arraignment on the two felony charges, according to police. Judge Robert Triozzi was scheduled to preside over the case, according to Ed Ferenc, public information officer for Cleveland Municipal Court. Don Shantz, 24, of Milan, who was working alongside Davis and Prelipp at the time of the accident, said the six Lake Erie Construction Company employees had only been at that job for 10 or 15 minutes when the accident occurred. The employees were repairing a guardrail on I-480 near I-176 northbound, commonly referred to as the Jennings Freeway split, Shantz said. Shantz said they were clearing debris from the damaged guardrail when he heard tires squealing and a co-worker shout, ''Get out of the way!'' Shantz looked up and saw a car driving alongside the workers on the gravel berm, he said. The car drove along the berm for about 500 feet, according to Shantz, before returning to the road. Shantz then realized that his co-workers had been injured, he said. Prelipp was limping and Davis was lying on the ground, Shantz said. His three other co-workers were assessing the situation, he said. Shantz quickly climbed into a company vehicle and chased after the driver along I-480. ''I had two guys laying on the ground hurt, and I didn't wnt him to take anyone else out,'' he said. Shantz caught up with the driver about one mile away from the scene of the accident, he said. He found the Land Rover off on the berm on I-480 near State Road, according to police reports. Shantz noticed damage to the right side of the vehicle and that the car had a flat tire, he said. ''He was unaware that he even hit anybody,'' Shantz said of the driver. ''He didn't seem to know what was going on.'' Shantz said he wrote down the vehicle's license plate number and waited with the driver for police to arrive. ''It's terrible that this had to happen to anybody,'' Shantz said. Shantz said that Davis has been working with the company since May on summer vacation from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. ''He's a good kid. He really is,'' Shantz said. ''He's innocent. Just out there trying to make money for school.'' Bleile said that Davis' father, Don, has worked for Lake Erie Construction Company for 25 years. ''Our focal point should be on him because he's in the hospital,'' Shantz said of younger Davis. ''It could have been avoided and it should have been avoided.'' In Shantz's five years working for Lake Erie Construction, this is his first encounter with this type of accident, although he has seen cars hit cones before, he said. ''People don't pay attention to what's going on,'' he said of highway drivers in construction zones. Shantz said that the workers have their backs to traffic about 90 percent of the time. Shantz said this accident is going to open his eyes more. ''Be more cautious on watching your back and watching your surroundings,'' he said. ''Watch yourself and watch your co-workers.'' There were 6,808 work zone crashes throughout Ohio in 2002, according to Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) information sheets. Twenty-six of those crashes were fatal. The ODOT information sheets also show that 120 to 130 workers die each year in road construction activities in the United States. Of the fatalities, 23 percent are a result of pedestrian workers being struck by traffic vehicles, according to the information sheets. Paul Wasilewski, ODOT District 12 spokesman said that Lake Erie Construction Company is a subcontractor of Kenmore Construction of Akron for the I-480 reconstruction. Wasilewski said safety procedures for construction zones follow the Federal Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. He said the speed limit in a permanent construction zone is 50 mph. ''If anything, slowing down and paying attention is the message we consistently enforce when traveling through work zones,'' he said. Karen Mateo, director of communications for WCBS-TV, said that Rogers is a meteorologist for CBS News in New York. He was in Cleveland this week on vacation, Mateo said. Rogers worked as the chief meteorologist for WKYC-TV3 in Cleveland from 1997 through 2000, according to the CBS New York Web site. A statement from Mateo said that Rogers will not appear on the station until further investigation. ''Our thoughts and prayers are with those injured in the accident,'' the statement said. Bleile says that he could care less who is responsible for the accident. ''Our only thoughts are with Brad and his family and with Jeremy too,'' he said.
Injured worker pulled from trench at KSU By Abby Slutsky Special to the Beacon Journal KENT - A construction worker installing underground pipe at Kent State University injured his back and had to be rescued from a trench at least 20 feet deep Friday. Police and fire departments from Kent and Ravenna worked quickly to get the man out of the trench. Rescue workers started an intravenous drip before securing him to a backboard that was attached to a backhoe by several ropes. At the top of the trench, the man was transferred to a gurney and wheeled to a waiting ambulance, which took him to Akron City Hospital. He was not immediately identified. The accident occurred shortly before 1 p.m. near Kent Hall by the university's front campus. It was not known how the man was injured. Initially, rescue workers thought mud had fallen on the worker. However, Tom Euclid, director of architecture and engineering at the university, said that didn't happen. Euclid said that the man twisted his back either while using a wheelbarrow or after being startled by a mudslide that occurred outside the trench. The injury occurred while the man was working in a safety box, which prevents the walls of the trench from caving in.
Man falls from pickup truck, is killed on I-77 by SHAWNA MORRISON THE ROANOKE TIMES A 28-year-old Pearisburg man was killed Wednesday afternoon when he fell out of the back of a pickup truck and was run over by the trailer it was towing, police said. Virginia State Police Trooper J.L. Mullins said the accident happened about 5:40 p.m. in the Fort Chiswell area of Interstate 77, about a mile and a half south of its intersection with Interstate 81. Charles Eugene Stowers was on his way back from North Carolina in a pickup truck with seven other men - five in the large cab and two in the bed, which was covered with a camper shell, Mullins said, when he fell out of the truck and was run over. The men worked for an independent construction company that did commercial tile work and had been working on a project for Campbell's Soup Co., Mullins said. They had been in North Carolina for a few weeks and were on their way home. The truck was hauling a small box trailer loaded with tools, clothes and other supplies, Mullins said. The pickup truck was the only vehicle involved, Mullins said. Mullins said foul play is not suspected. "It's really sad," he said. "Just a tragic accident." No charges will be placed. A law that makes it illegal to ride in the back of a truck applies only to people younger than 16.
Worker Hurt in Fall By Tomoeh Murakami STAFF WRITER July 12, 2003 A Ronkonkoma man was in serious condition last night after falling 25 feet into a cement hole at a Melville construction site. Salvatore Valensisi, an employee of McLean Contracting of Melville, was inside a waste treatment plant he was helping to build at 171 Half Hollow Rd., the site of a 1,300-home community called Greens at Half Hollow, when he plunged into the hole, authorities said. "One of the grates [covering the hole] was removed and he fell in," said David Kaplan, assistant chief of the Melville Fire Department. Valensisi, 55, suffered internal bleeding, a broken leg and various back, rib and abdominal injuries, authorities said. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating. A man identified as a representative of the employer by an OSHA investigator who was at the scene of the incident Friday declined to immediately comment. It took Melville firefighters, assisted by rescue teams from the East Farmingdale and Huntington Manor fire departments as well as Suffolk County police, 50 minutes to hoist Valensisi out of the 10-foot wide hole on a stretcher, Kaplan said. Valensisi was transported to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow. He was later taken to Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, where he remained in serious condition last night, a hospital spokesman said.
Hereford man injured in power line accident The Amarillo Globe-News MIAMI - A Hereford man working here on the new railroad expansion was injured Thursday when a crane became entangled in power lines. Roberts County Sheriff's Deputy Rick Smithey said Anthony Abeyta, 19, working for Messer Construction of Hereford, was unloading concrete railroad ties from a work train to the new rail bed using a link-belt crane about 11 a.m. When workers raised the crane, the boom got into some power lines above the crossing on North Main Street and Railroad Avenue, Smithey said. Abeyta was holding onto the clamps on the rail tie and suffered electrical shock. He was conscious with noticeable burns to his hands and feet, Smithey said, and was flown by Lifestar to University Medical Center in Lubbock. Abeyta was the only one injured in the accident, Smithey said. Xcel Energy officials arrived on the scene to check the lines, and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad officials shut down the site for the day, Smithey said.
Gas line broken by contractor snarls traffic Friday, July 11, 2003 By PRECIOUS PETTY The Express-Times BETHLEHEM -- Downtown traffic slowed to a crawl for several hours Thursday after construction workers ruptured a high-pressure gas line at West Union Boulevard and Monocacy Street about 9:30 a.m. Emergency crews blocked part of West Union Boulevard between Third Avenue and New Street and part of Main Street between West Broad and Goepp streets while a UGI Corp. crew worked to repair the gas main. Homes and businesses along Monocacy Street between West Union Boulevard and Goepp Street and along West Union Boulevard between Conestoga and Main streets were evacuated from 9:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. as a safety precaution, said Fire Marshall Eugene Novak. A city contracted crew accidentally hit the main while digging trenches to install conduits for a traffic light at the intersection, said Director of Public Works Michael Alkhal. AJ Trunzo, Inc., the contractor working at the site, "did everything by the book," Alkhal said. "They did what they could ahead of time to avoid hitting the gas main," he said. A firefighter responding to another call saw a plume of gas rise from the main when he drove by the scene and immediately began isolating the intersection, Novak said. UGI spokesman Barry Wentzel said 28 area customers were left without service for a time after the gas main break. Service was expected to be restored by 3 p.m., Wentzel said early Thursday afternoon. Nearly 60 employees evacuated from Cigars International on Monocacy Street gathered at Monocacy and Goepp while they waited to find out if it was safe to return to work. "We've had power outages from storms before, but never an evacuation because of a gas leak," said Victoria Esterly of Bethlehem, a Cigars International worker. Normally, workers package 2,000 boxes of cigars a day, but productivity is likely to suffer because of the nearly three-hour break in the work day, Esterly said. City Firefighter Ray Alpha was treated for a cut hand at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg and released, Novak said. A police officer overcome by gas fumes was taken to a local hospital for treatment and released, officials said.
Fire damages William Blount roof 2003-07-13 by Anna C. Irwin of The Daily Times Staff A fire on the roof at William Blount High School was the first of three fires in quick succession late Friday and early Saturday in Blount County. The fire at the school caused minimal damage and Blount County Schools Director Alvin Hord credited the person who reported the fire as well as the quick response by firefighters. ``It could have been a lot worse, if the fire had spread,'' Hord said. Alicia C. Mathes, who lives on County Farm Road, near the school, reported the blaze at 11:46 p.m. Friday. She said she could see orange flames and heavy smoke coming from the roof at the back left corner of the school. Blount County Fire Department was notified at 11:50 p.m. Firefighters were on the scene minutes later but were initially hampered by the difficulty in reaching the roof of the two-story building. Greenback Fire Department sent a ladder truck to the scene and provided a way for firemen to get on the roof with hoses and water. Blount County Fire Department had 12 firefighters and six trucks at the school. They were assisted by Greenback, Alcoa and Maryville Fire Department personnel who came to offer their help. The roof fire was brought under control at 12:37 a.m. and the last of the firefighters left the scene at 2:45 a.m. Hord said work on the roof is in progress and it appeared the fire might have been caused when a spark escaped from welding equipment, then smoldered for several hours after workers left Friday afternoon. He said the construction company's insurance is expected to cover the cost of repairing the fire damage. ``Only a small section of the roof was burned, and it was over a locker area near one of the bathrooms. They were able to sweep the water that got inside the building to a drain in the bathroom,'' Hord said. ``A copy machine got wet, but we don't yet know if it can be repaired or needs to be replaced. ``I was surprised there was very little odor inside the building. The wind was blowing, and it must have carried most of the smoke away,'' he said. According to Hord, the section of flat, tar roof that burned and the attic area below it will be cut away and replaced in plenty of time for the school's registration day set Aug. 1 and the first day of classes Aug. 8. As firemen were responding to the blaze at William Blount High School, a fire alarm began to sound at Mentor Market, 2503 Mentor Road, Louisville. Deputy Gail Anderson said she arrived at 11:55 p.m. to find flames coming from the rear of the building at a small loading dock. Blount County firefighters, including some diverted from the fire at the school, found smoke rolling from the front of the market and the back wall of the building ablaze. Three Blount County fire trucks and seven men brought the market fire under control and were able to leave the scene an hour later at 12:53 a.m. Saturday. The market, owned by David T. Edmonds, Pink Hatcher Lane, Louisville, closed at 8 p.m. Friday, and the clerk left around 8:15 p.m. The cause of the fire is undetermined but is apparently considered suspicious. Blount County Sheriff's arsonpecialists are investigating. Blount County firefighters were still at the market when a 911 call at 12:47 a.m. Saturday reported a mobile home on fire in Rockford. The fire department was notified at 12:52 a.m. and firefighters reached the William H. Wilson residence on Homer Avenue at 12:57 a.m. Five Blount County fire trucks and nine men, including those who were at the market, responded along with Alcoa Fire Department personnel, an Alcoa rescue truck and an Alcoa pumper. The mobile home fire was under control at 1:06 a.m. but not before more than half the trailer was destroyed. Firefighters left the third fire scene at 2:06 a.m. Saturday, just over half an hour before those at the school fire were able to return to their stations.
Worker rescued from trench By K. Manikandan CHENNAI JULY 12. Fire Service personnel today struggled to rescue a worker who was trapped after the mud caved in and fell on him while he was working to lay sewer lines at M.G.R. Nagar in K. K. Nagar this evening. The personnel rescued 25-year-old S. Maari, who got trapped when he stepped into the 20-foot ditch this afternoon, after a 90-minute effort. Maari, along with his younger brother, Muthu, and younger sister, Devi, and scores of other labourers, was working to lay the main 1200-mm diameter sewer lines on K.K.Salai, as part of Metrowater's Clean Rivers Conservation Project. Maari entered the huge trench that was dug up to lay the main pipelines. He got down along with six others to measure the width of the levelled area, when mud from the western side of the trench caved in all of a sudden. While four of them managed to claw their way out and climb up the trench, Maari and two others still lay trapped. Noticing this, a local shopowner alerted the Fire Service personnel. While two others were immediatey pulled out of the trench, they found it difficult to retrieve Maari, as the wooden and iron beams placed on either sides to prevent the earth from falling into the trench, had also fallen on him, along with the mud. The Fire Service personnel from Ashok Nagar, who actually pulled out Maari, said that at first sight, they were able to notice Maari buried under the mud only till the waist. "He responded to our querries and even drank water", one of the Firemen said. They first pulled out the wooden slabs and iron beams manually and also using cranes before clearing the mud gradually. Devi, the younger sister of Maari, said the family belonged to Tindivanam and that they had settled down in Chennai some years ago. Along with her two elder brothers, she too was working on this project for the past two weeks. She and her father, Subramani, a cobbler, having a shop near the accident spot, had to be consoled by other workers even as the rescue attempt was on. It was a relief for the personnel, policemen, other labourers and hundreds of on-lookers, when Maari was finally pulled out of the mud and taken in an ambulance. Scores of local residents who had gathered atop terraces cheered as the Firemen took away Maari on a stretcher. According to police officers, who confirmed that Maari was out of danger, investigations would be taken up and the contractor penalised for negligence if found guilty. The trench, dug up for a depth of 20-foot and a distance of 100-feet was barricaded and made out of bounds. Police used lathis to prevent curious youth from venturing close to the trench. This road with the trench is used by thousands of school students everyday, causing worry to the parents who send them by vans and autorickshaws.
Historic warehouse hit by fire must be razed SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF TACOMA -- The owner of a historic warehouse destroyed by fire will have to tear it down. The fire at the Alpine Cold Storage building, a brick warehouse downtown, broke out early Wednesday and was still burning in spots yesterday, said Ron Stephens, an acting deputy chief with the Tacoma Fire Department. Investigators believe the fire was started by workers using a torch to remove metal plating from the building's old wood floor. Structural engineers went into the 56,000-square-foot warehouse yesterday and determined it had to be demolished. The owner purchased the building just two months ago for $400,000 and will have to bear the cost of the demolition, Stephens said. Because the potential for collapse remains, the streets around the building are still closed to traffic. At least two fire crews will remain at the site until the building is down, Stephens said, to ensure the fire does not flare up again.
Fire evacuates the Old State Capitol Building Updated: 7/10/2003 By: Kathleen Keener & Web Staff Work on the old State Capitol Building causes more problems than repairs. The roof caught fire on Wednesday, forcing firefighters to evacuate the building. There were about thirty people in the building but this was a small fire and no one was hurt but streets in the area were closed for hours and it caused some excitement for people who were uptown. Joseph Washington was hard at work at his hotdog stand when he heard the sirens. "I just saw a lot of fire trucks pulling up, and sirens, and Capital City Police running,” said Washington. “I didn't know what was going on." A small fire started in the dome of the Capitol while workers were trying to repair leaks. Welding caused the wood below the copper to smolder, and smoke spread quickly. “As soon as that fire alarm went on, it was so shrill that everyone started going out the door, we had no problem getting people out the door,” said Capitol Director Carol Henderson. Firefighters put it out quickly and nothing in the building was damaged. "You certainly think about the historical significance of the building,” said Raleigh Fire Battalion Chief Tommie Steysons. “There are artifacts here that can't be replaced. You’re always thinking ahead to those things." Workers credit their safety to the buildings' fire alarms and smoke detectors. "If this had happened 20 years ago, or even 15 years ago, it might not have been such a happy ending." This is not the first fire at the Capitol building. In 1831, a soldering tool sparked a fire and destroyed the building.
Fire engulfs trailer RUSS OLIVO , Staff Writer 07/10/2003 WOONSOCKET -- A smoky fire destroyed a cargo trailer filled with hazardous construction debris on Privilege Street Wednesday morning after a welder who was repairing the roof inadvertently ignited the contents of the vehicle, firefighters said. The 48-foot long, metal container was packed with asphalt shingles, asbestos tubing and other construction materials, said Acting Deputy Fire Chief Thomas Williams. To minimize the runoff of potentially tainted water from the site, firefighters relied heavily on fire-suppressing foam to combat the blaze. They were concerned about contaminating the nearby Mill River, which feeds the swimming area at World War II Veterans State Park. On orders from the state Department of Environmental Management, which runs the park, workers closed off the intake valve at the holding pond for the swimming area on East School Street, several blocks away from the fire. Peter Lambert, the caretaker of the park, said chlorine levels in the holding pond were also boosted while firefighters responded to the blaze. DEM and city firefighters both called Lambert shortly after the fire broke out at about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. "They were concerned some of their water was going to get into our place," Lambert said. "We don’t think any did. All of our actions were strictly precautionary." No one was injured in the fire, which broke through the walls of the cargo container and blackened the tail end of another container parked a few feet away. Williams said the containers are owned by STG Service Transport Corporation of 28 Privilege St. The company, whose principal trade is environmental cleanup, runs a truck depot at the site. Among those who responded to the fire were the fire department’s hazardous materials (Haz-Mat) team and workers from DEM’s hazardous materials division. Williams said it took firefighters about 45 minutes to bring the fire under control using "Class A foam," a harmless material that looks like soap lather. "It smothers the fire, like a blanket," said Williams. The asphalt-based products stored in the container were fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, and some areas were very hard to put out, said Williams. Some of the materials inside were made from petroleum, he said, which fueled the fire and burned intensely. Williams said asbestos materials do not burn, but they pose a hazard if they are dispersed into the atmosphere where they can be inhaled. Firefighters protected themselves by breathing through special oxygen tanks while fighting the fire. Normally, the fire department has its own personnel to refill the tanks, but on Wednesday North Smithfield firefighters filled in because the local facilities have been sidelined by a modernization project at the Cumberland Street fire station. Williams said an STG worker had climbed onto the roof of the container to do some welding when sparks from his equipment apparently ignited materials inside. The welder fled safely and the fire was later reported by workers from STG, said Williams, calling the fire accidental. "It was a lot of smoke," said Jimmy McElroy, who runs L&R Auto Parts, across the street from the STG depot. "I’m surprised they’re out of here so quick. I thought this was going to be an all-day affair." Workers from the highway department were called in to build a sand dike across Privilege Street to keep the runoff from the fire from getting into the Mill River, which runs from Harris Pond to East School Street, past the STG depot. "We can’t let it spread all over the ground over here, we just have to keep it contained," said Firefighter Steve Preston, the leader of the Haz-Mat team. "Asbestos is a respiratory hazard, but it doesn’t burn. There’s no real hazard." A private company, TMC Services Inc., was in charge of cleaning up the site after firefighters left. "We’ll do most of it in-house," said a man who would identify himself only as an employee of STG. He said that TMC Services is one of the company’s usual subcontractors for environmental cleanup work.
UPDATE Worker dies in fall from HRN; Man died after falling from scaffolding on the eighth floor of Hamilton College House By Laura Sullivan July 10, 2003 A construction worker fell to his death from scaffolding on the south side of Hamilton College House while working on renovations to the high rise building nearly two weeks ago. University officials would not release the victim's name, but said that he was in his early twenties. "Unfortunately on June 27 at [1:40 p.m.] we had an employee... fall from the eighth floor off the scaffold," University Director of Fire and Emergency Services Ted Bateman said, noting that the drop was approximately 85 feet. The victim was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after the accident. "The day of the unfortunate incident operations were ceased," Bateman said. "Out of respect for the employee, his family and the other workers at the site, operations were ceased on Monday as well." The death comes on the heels of a stabbing, which left another construction worker in critical condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. On June 23, David Ingraham, 38, was arrested after allegedly stabbing Sam Hrynczyszn, 25. The two workers reportedly got into an argument over their work schedules and Ingraham allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed Hrynczyszn three times in the stomach and upper chest. Ingraham has been charged with criminal attempt to murder, aggravated assault, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Commending the officers on the scene, Vice President for Public Safety Maureen Rush noted that "had it not been for their actions we probably would have had a 26 year old victim who would not have survived." After the most recent accident, University officials say they are working to improve safety measures at the site. "There were a number of meetings subsequent to the accident and they included representatives from Penn Public Safety, the general contractor on site, the subcontractor and representatives from Penn Facilities and Risk Management to address... the site safety considerations," Bateman said. Aiming "to take some remedial action before the site would be open again," the crew has implemented several changes according to Bateman. These changes include inspections of the guard and end rails on the scaffolding mechanisms at the beginning and end of each work day. The glazers -- those whose work at the site requires them to be out on the scaffolding -- will also be tied in as per new safety measures. Bateman also noted that there would be "trained and qualified supervision on the site at all times and all operations -- including the scaffolding operations -- would be monitored throughout the day." All personnel -- including those who work on the scaffolding -- will be retrained, according to Bateman. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is currently investigating the death. "Penn Public Safety and other responsible parties at Penn are in constant contact with OSHA," Bateman said, noting that a closing meeting will be held once the investigation is complete.
Construction worker wounded in drill accident Publishing date: 07-09-2003 5:28 PM (KAAL) -- A construction worker trying to drill into a piece of metal winds up heading to the hospital after the drill bit slips and punctures his chest. 27-year-old Brian Neeley was holding the metal up to his chest and drilling towards himself, when the drill bit slipped it went into his chest about 1 to 2 inches. Neeley was conscious and alert but in a lot of pain and bleeding badly. Neeley was transferred to St. Mary's hospital via gold cross ambulance and is in fair condition.
Champaign explosion injures 2 By TIM MITCHELL THE NEWS-GAZETTE CHAMPAIGN – Investigators are theorizing that magnesium dust may have played a role in the explosion that injured two people in Interstate Research Park on Wednesday afternoon. The explosion occurred shortly before 3:30 p.m. at the Wayne H. Choe Technology Center, 1401 Interstate Drive. Two construction workers doing cleanup work there were taken by ambulance to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana for treatment. Their identities were not disclosed. Champaign Fire Department spokeswoman Dena Schumacher said Cerion Technologies, a former occupant of the building, had made compact discs and had left what investigators believe was magnesium dust in dust collectors. When the two workers used an acetylene torch to cut some pipes Wednesday, it caused a small fire, she said. "But when the workers used a fire extinguisher to put out the flames, it atomized what we believe to be magnesium dust and set off a dust explosion," Schumacher said. Schumacher said a structural engineer has determined that the rear third of the building will need to be demolished as a result of the explosion. Emergency personnel were called to the building at 3:26 p.m. following a report of an explosion. Seven fire department trucks and six to eight police units responded. When the first firefighters arrived, they found a fire, extensive damage to the rear of the building and two injured people. White smoke was showing toward the back of the building. "The south wall is history, and a portion of the roof was raised a few inches," Schumacher said. Gas and electricity were shut off to the area as a precaution, Schumacher said. Firefighters extinguished the blaze within two minutes. No evacuations were necessary because firefighters judged the neighborhood to be safe, she said. "We had police here immediately in case we needed to evacuate neighborhoods, but we did not need to do that," she said. The building, owned by Wayne H. Choe, is occupied by two businesses, Servicemaster of Champaign-Urbana and the Institute of Advanced Technology. According to Schumacher, the rear of the building, where the explosion occurred, was unoccupied. Choe had hired two people from Huls Construction Co. to clean out the 5,000-square-foot vacant area on the south side of the building and work on interior finish, flooring and walls in preparation for a new occupant. "They were just about finished with their work, and today was to be their last day of work in there," Schumacher said.Jim Crisman, co-owner of Servicemaster of Champaign-Urbana, said he was working at his desk at the time of the explosion. "It sounded like something heavy was dropped on top of the building," Crisman said. "It was pretty startling and scary; probably the loudest thing that you would hear in any given day. I knew right away that something wasn't normal." Crisman ran around the east side of the building to see what happened, while the other co-owner, Dwayne Roberts, ran around the west side. "I saw a couple of guys staggering out," Crisman said. "They weren't very coherent; they were on their feet but staggering and burned pretty bad. One guy had a shoulder that was injured pretty badly. We got them to the front of the building and had them sit down until the ambulance showed up." Crisman said none of his 10 employees inside the building was injured. Servicemaster reopened for business this morning. "There wasn't any structural damage in our part of the building," Crisman said Wednesday. "I can't imagine that they won't let us back in there Thursday." This morning, Choe said the Institute of Advanced Technology had reopened for regular operations. Schumacher said it was fortunate that only two people were injured. Crisman said it was ironic that his firm is a professional service company that specializes in fire and water damage restoration. "After everybody sorts things out, we may have some service to provide in our own building," he said.
More smoke than fire in tank Thursday, July 10, 2003 By KAY RUDDEROW Staff Writer BRIDGETON -- A fire caused by workers using a torch to dismantle an empty fuel tank at Woodruff Energy on Water Street created a lot of smoke, but little danger or damage Wednesday. According to Bridgeton Fire Chief Dave Schoch, a call went out at 11:51 a.m. and the fire department responded to the scene of the fire, about three blocks from the station, within minutes. The Hopewell-Stow Creek Fire Company also responded with an engine and some manpower, Schoch said. "They respond as part of our automatic mutual aid system.". The workers were dismantling one of the tanks at the rear of the property and there was no fuel involved, according to Woodruff Energy spokesman Bob Woodruff. "We have to do this every five years or so, to clean the tanks and have them inspected," Woodruff said. Inside the tanks is a type of floating roof over the fuel that would be contained in the tanks, which is edged in rubber against the sides of the tank, he said. The sparks from the workers' torch set the rubber gasket on fire, causing a lot of black smoke, but little flame, he said. "Dave Schoch and his men deserve a big hand. They were here in a couple of minutes and did a great job," Woodruff said. "Fortunately, the fire was minor." The fire company and Bridgeton Emergency Ambulance Association were on the scene for a little more than an hour.
Workers injured in Kimmel collapse to get $12.7 million The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA - Seven workers who were injured, several of them completely disabled, in a scaffolding collapse during construction of Philadelphia's new performing arts center will receive amounts ranging from $200,000 to $3.1 million to settle lawsuits in connection with the accident. Attorneys worked out the $12.1 million settlement in three days of negotiations before mediator Ronald Sherr. The accident occurred Feb. 10, 2000, as hundreds of tons of concrete were poured into a form built to create an underground parking garage ramp at the 435,000-square-foot Kimmel Center, which opened in December 2001. The workers standing on the form plunged nearly 40 feet into the wet concrete and broken scaffolding below The agreement calls for payments of $3.15 million to David B. Jennings III, $3 million each to Rodney Jones and Christopher Rizzo, $2 million to Michael Warnick, $1.2 million to Michael Berardi, and $200,000 each to Allen McCray and Earven E. Pettaway. Attorneys for the worker said the blame was shared by several companies involved, because designs for the concrete form had never been completed, and contractors went ahead and built it without any plans. he injured workers sued the form designer, Peri Formwork Systems Inc.; the concrete contractor, Pietrini & Sons; the general contractors, L.F. Driscoll and Artis Ore Inc.; and the Regional Performing Arts Center, the company that owns the Kimmel Center. Robert J. Mongeluzzi, one of the attorneys for workers, said the plaintiffs' attorneys focused on proving that all the defendants shared in the liability. Peri Formwork was under contract to provide a design for the form but never did, and Pietrini built the form "without the benefit of plans," according to a memo by the plaintiffs' attorneys outlining their case. L.F. Driscoll had overall responsibility for safety, but the company's safety manager at the site acknowledged in a deposition he hadn't seen a formwork project before and wasn't aware of relevant safety regulations, "for which the plaintiffs have paid a very heavy price," the memo said. Joel Paul Fishbein, an attorney for L.F. Driscoll and Pietrini, said the settlement was acceptable. "This was about as reasonable a settlement as one could expect considering the liability issues, the nature of the accident and the quality of the plaintiffs' attorneys," Fishbein said. Information from: The Legal Intelligencer
Construction accident causes break in gas main The Associated Press 7/8/03 11:39 AM IRON MOUNTAIN, Mich. (AP) -- A crew worked Tuesday to fix a natural gas main that ruptured the previous day, prompting authorities to evacuate 10 businesses. Construction workers using earth-moving equipment accidentally broke open the gas main Monday morning, said John Austerberry, spokesman for Michigan Consolidated Gas Co., which owns the line. The eight-inch pipe carries gas that is pressurized to 150 pounds per square inch, making it a high-capacity main, Austerberry said. But enough gas remained in the system to prevent service interruptions, he said. Despite its pungent odor, the gas presented no health dangers to people in the area, he said. The evacuations were ordered to reduce risk of igniting the gas. The MichCon crew, based in Grand Rapids, was expected to finish repairs Tuesday afternoon. The evacuated businesses were to remain off-limits until then, Austerberry said.
Town highway worker injured by truck (New Milford-WTNH, July 7, 2003 Updated 5:03 PM) _ A town highway worker was seriously injured Monday when he was run over by a paving truck he was driving. The accident happened at about 3:00 p.m. on Long Mountain Road in the Gaylordsville section of town. A town official says the worker got out of the truck and somehow the truck started rolling down the hill, striking the man. He was taken to the hospital. The man has not been identified.
Highway Worker Struck By Pickup While Redirecting Traffic; 39-Year-Old Sent To Hospital With Internal Injuries POSTED: 4:12 p.m. EST July 7, 2003 REMINGTON, Ind. -- A state highway worker directing traffic around the scene of an Interstate 65 accident was injured when he was struck by a pickup truck Monday, police said. The worker was hit about three hours after two southbound tractor-trailers collided in Jasper County about 25 miles north of Lafayette, causing one of the rigs to burst into flames and injure the driver, Indiana State Police said. That tractor-trailer and its cargo of aluminum cans were destroyed by fire in the 4 a.m. accident. The driver was hospitalized with minor injuries. The driver of the other tractor-trailer wasn't hurt, police said. Southbound traffic was diverted off the highway and allowed to re-enter four miles away. James M. Salkeld, a 39-year-old Department of Transportation worker based in Gary, was directing traffic on foot when a southbound pickup struck him. The pickup's driver later told investigators he had been working overnight and was tired. The driver reported he had been traveling 65-70 mph before the crash, and tried to brake before hitting Salkeld. Salkeld was being treated at Jasper County Hospital for internal injuries to his pelvis and back, state police said.Welder sparks fire at Camp Williams CAMP WILLIAMS, Utah (AP) - A spark from a contractor's welding ignited a wildfire that blackened more than 500 acres of grassy, open land Tuesday at the Camp Williams National Guard facility. The fire was about 70 percent contained as of 4 p.m., said Salt Lake County fire Captain Jay Ziolkowski. The nearby communities of Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs faced a low threat, but there were no evacuations. The fire was contained to the guard camp, located about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City. More than 100 fire personnel, an air tanker and two helicopters fought the blaze. The fire moved quickly under high winds and low humidity even though the welder had two people monitoring for fire safety, Ziolkowski said.
Man dies doing what he loved: Working By DEBORAH GATES Daily Times Staff Writer FRUITLAND -- Wallace Foxwell turned 65 and called it quits at the job he had held for more than three decades. But like other retirees wanting to stay active, he went back to work. Foxwell, the oldest employee for the City of Fruitland, died last week from an accident doing what he knew and loved -- climbing a ladder. Fruitland's code enforcement officer and housing inspector for the last seven years would have turned 79 next Thursday. "He's been in construction work all of his life," a tearful Wanda Foxwell, of Salisbury, said of her husband. "He loved it." Her husband was inspecting a house under construction on Fruitland's East Main Street when a ladder supporting him apparently slipped, she said. A construction worker discovered Foxwell on the ground beside the ladder the morning of June 30, Fruitland City Manager Rick Pollitt said Tuesday. It was unclear whether the ladder slipped or Foxwell became ill and fell, he said. "We're speculating he might have fallen off," Pollitt said. The injury paralyzed Foxell, and he was flown by helicopter to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore from Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Wanda Foxwell said. "He could talk. We were hoping he'd get better," she said. Foxwell died two days later and the Dorchester County native was buried Monday in Cambridge, where he worked 35 years at the Charles E. Brohawn Co. construction company, his wife said Tuesday. The couple moved to Salisbury after Foxwell's 1986 retirement, renting a place for a while, then eventually building a new home. "He didn't build it himself but he checked on the builders, checked what they were doing," Wanda Foxwell said. Foxwell took a job as an inspector at George Miles and Buhr, a Salisbury architectural firm doing business with Fruitland, Pollitt said. "That's how we got to know him," he said. "We took him away." At the time, Fruitland was facing a housing boom with no housing inspector, and Foxwell stepped in part-time to fill the void, Pollitt said. Soon, he doubled as the town's code enforcement officer. "He made his own hours, usually (working) in the early morning until about noon," Pollitt said. "We were in the process of hiring a full-time code enforcement officer and have him do building inspection. We will have to re-evaluate the whole program."
Trench accident sends two to hospital ORANGEDALE,N.S. (CP) - The collapse of a trench near Orangedale, Nova Scotia late Monday afternoon sent two construction workers to hospital with serious injuries. The mishap occurred on the Orangedale road, a short distance from the Trans Canada Highway in Inverness County. The two workers, employed by Blair S. Francis Construction, were initially taken to hospital in Baddeck and then air-lifted to Cape Breton Regional Hospital. Hospital spokesperson, Greg Boone, says they suffered multiple injuries, including fractures, and are now in fair condition. A spokesperson for the Department of Labour, Penny McCormick, says the department is investigating and ordered the contractor to backfill the trench to prevent any further accidents.
Water Main Break Leaves Atchison Without Water Damage to a water main left Atchison residents without drinking water for nearly 24 hours. Workers for an excavating company were installing a six-inch water main Monday when they accidentally cut into a 24-inch water main pipe. The accident prompted the city to immediately close down its water plant. The pipe is the only water source for Atchison from the Missouri River. The damage was repaired by early Tuesday, but residents weren't able to use the water until about noon. They also were told to boil the water before consuming it because it will have extra chlorine for several hours. City Engineer Joe Drimmel says the excavators were using outdated maps of the water lines that don't show the water main that was cut.
Air conditioning work sparks fire at school BY ROBERT BLASZKIEWICZ Times Porter County Editor PORTAGE -- A welding torch being used to install air conditioning at Jones Elementary School is believed to have sparked a small ceiling fire Thursday afternoon, sending smoke through the building before the blaze was quickly put out. The fire burned through insulation and ceiling tiles and was hot enough that it damaged the rubber membrane roof in the one-story section of the school, said Dean Shatz, Portage Township Schools director of auxiliary services. Fire Chief Tim Sosby said the fire was contained to Room 8, a computer lab, but a neighboring classroom and nearby hallways sustained smoke damage. No summer school classes were in session at the school and no injuries were reported. Sosby said it would be difficult to estimate the amount of damage until school officials could assess the contents of the room. The computer lab contained 28 to 30 new Dell computers, still in their boxes, which appeared to be undamaged. A lone multimedia projector remained anchored in the ceiling, surrounded by the framework of the drop ceiling with the damaged tiles torn out. Shatz said it appeared the school would have an extensive cleanup ahead, similar to the cleanup that took place two months ago at Portage High School West after vandals released fire extinguishers throughout the school. Portage school Superintendent George McKay remarked that maintenance crews recently spent three days cleaning Jones, work that now would have to be repeated. Firefighters were called to Jones at 1:14 p.m., after maintenance crews heard yelling that there was a fire. Workers with the air conditioning contractor, O.J. Shoemaker Inc. of South Bend, were doing welding in Room 8 when the fire broke out. Firefighters were on the scene in five minutes and had the fire struck at 1:32 p.m. Sosby said the department's initial findings indicated the fire was caused by sparks from a welding torch, but that a full investigation into the cause would be done. A representative of O.J. Shoemaker at the scene directed questions to school and fire officials. The installation of air conditioning at Jones is part of a $15 million bond issue in the township to revamp heating systems and air condition schools that have gone without. McKay said that before the fire, air conditioning work at Jones was expected to be done by August. South Haven and Burns Harbor fire departments assisted Portage, while Ogden Dunes, Union Township and Porter departments were on stand-by. An engine from Portage Station No. 1 was delayed from arriving at the scene by a freight train that slowed and eventually stopped, blocking the CSX tracks on McCool Road, just south of the school. Sosby said the blocked crossing could have been a big problem if the fire had been larger. A dispatcher ended up calling the railroad to get the train moved. Sosby said the increased train traffic in the city does pose a concern for emergency responders and that they try to avoid railroad tracks whenever they can.
Worker killed at 29/Trancas work site; Martinez man struck by a piece of construction equipment Friday, July 4, 2003 By MARSHA DORGAN Register Staff Writer A construction worker was struck and killed by a piece of heavy equipment at the Highway 29/Trancas Street interchange project on Thursday afternoon. John Castro, 45, of Martinez, died around 2 p.m. at Queen of the Valley Hospital. Castro was part of a crew working in the northeast corner of the construction site. He was struck in the lower back by a bucket attached to backhoe, according to Acting Fire Capt. Phil Stith. "When we got there, the victim was lying on the surface of the dirt up against a berm, away from the bucket," Stith said. Co-workers said the bucket hit Castro in the lower back and pushed him into the dirt, Stith said. "He was breathing at the scene and was talking a little bit in the ambulance on the way to the hospital," Stith said. "He was taken to surgery and expired at the hospital." The site was cordoned off with yellow plastic tape. By 3:30 p.m., most of the workers had left the site, replaced by detectives who were looking for clues. The monster backhoe that dealt the fatal blow sat idle, its bucket resting on a pile of dirt. At this time Castro's death is being handled as an industrial accident. The investigation has been turned over to California Occupational and Health Safety Administration. This is second industrial fatal in the county within a month. Nelson Rivera, 39, of Angwin was killed June 16 when he was crushed to death in a trash compactor at the Pacific Union College landfill on Highland Springs Road, north of the college. Rivera worked for PUC since 1996. Investigators believe he slipped and fell into a four-foot pit where he was raking trash. He was killed instantly when the compactor engaged, crushing him. Cal-OSHA is still investigating the accident. The $55 million Highway 29/Trancas Street interchange project has been under construction since the spring of 2002 and is scheduled to be completed next year. The freeway will be submerged beneath Trancas Street/Redwood Road. The Napa Valley Wine Train tracks will remain at grade.
Tragedy as slab crushes work pals Jul 3, 2003, 15:34:00 A Moxley man and his workmate were crushed to death in a freak accident when a one-and-a-half tonne concrete slab fell on them as they worked together on a building site. Today devastated friends and family of John Clarke, aged 42, of Belmont Gardens, were trying to come to terms with his death, which happened less than a month before he was due to get married. Mr Clarke was to marry his girlfriend of four years in a summer wedding planned for the end of July. He died alongside his good friend Barry Greatrex, aged 58, of Lunt Road, Bilston. Both suffered multiple injuries in the accident which happened at around 12.30pm on June 27 in Carver Street, Ladywood, Birmingham. Today Rob Davies, aged 41, said he was one of Mr Clarke's best friends and spoke of him as a skilled worker and a well liked and respected man with many friends. "I am still shaking now and I can't get over it. He would do anything for anyone and he would always help you out," he said. "He could put his hand to anything and was a very skilled an. He liked playing pool a lot and was a very good player. "We were in the same year at Darlaston Comprehensive. They were a very close family and everybody is devastated. "He had plenty of friends and was very well liked." Mr Greatrex leaves his wife Cynthia, who he was married to for around 30 years, and three grown-up sons and a daughter. His funeral is expected to take place on Monday July 14. A Health and Safety Executive spokeswoman said the men were working inside a three-storey building which is being renovated by Humphries Demolition. "It appears that the men were removing a concrete floor slab which was 2m by 1.5m and weighed one-and-a-half tonnes. This slab landed on them and crushed them to death," she said. An inquest on the two men was today opened and adjourned by Birmingham coroner Aidan Cotter.
Fire Destroys Stonington Plant, Damages Homes; Investigators Focus On Renovation Work STONINGTON, Conn. -- Investigators may have a lead into what caused a massive fire that struck the former Monsanto plant in Stonington. Thursday's fire destroyed the five-acre harborfront mill site, which was undergoing a $30 million renovation into a luxury residential and commercial complex. Crews said demolition workers were using torches inside the building to cut down old pipes hours before the fire. Investigators have not yet ruled on any official cause. It took firefighters from several communities at least three hours to bring flames under control. No one was hurt, but several homes were damaged by intense heat and smoke. The long-vacant mill employed thousands of borough residents for more than 150 years, first as a firearms factory and more recently as a plastics manufacturer.
Two men found dead inside Guilford manhole 7/6/2003 9:30 AM By: Associated Press (WHITSETT) -- Sheriff's deputies and safety regulators want to know how a father and his adult son died inside a manhole in Guilford County. Family of David and Christopher Michael found their bodies yesterday morning at a construction site in Whitsett. Their cause of death -isn't- yet known ... autopsies are scheduled for today. The two men had been helping install a water line for the City of Burlington. They were last seen alive Thursday night. State Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigators were at the accident site yesterday.
House-painter electrocuted in Topsham Michael Reagan Times Record 07/02/2003 TOPSHAM - A 20-year-old Topsham man died Tuesday after the aluminum ladder he and a co-worker were carrying touched a power line next to an Elm Street residence. Andrew McMillan was declared dead Tuesday afternoon at Parkview Adventist Medical Center in Brunswick, said Lt. Chris Lewis of the Topsham Police Department. McMillan was working as a painter with two other employees of College Pro Painters at a home at 16 Elm St. at the time of the accident, which was reported at 2:55 p.m. The other co-worker who was carrying the ladder, Brett Dumont, was taken by ambulance to Maine Medical Center in Portland. Lewis said Dumont was in stable condition. According to Lewis, Dumont and McMillan were moving a 40-foot ladder when it appeared they lost their balance and the ladder came into contact with power lines that run parallel to the side of the residence, Lewis said. The third worker was not injured. Central Maine Power Co. officials said the power line had about 7,200 volts running through it, Lewis said. A team from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration in Portland responded to the accident, said Bill Freeman, area director. Investigations can take one to two weeks. Representatives of Central Maine Power Co. were also called to the scene.
Man trapped in mud: Franklin worker in hospital after ordeal on Northbridge project By Sara Withee / News Staff Writer Wednesday, July 2, 2003 NORTHBRIDGE -- A Franklin construction worker whose legs were stuck in mud for nearly three hours yesterday was under medical evaluation for possible hypothermia last night, rescue officials said. Robert Giordano, 22, of 13 Skyline Drive, was taken to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester yesterday morning after firefighters freed his legs from two feet of mud on the Riverdale Mills property, firefighters said. Giordano, employed by Lewis Concrete of Franklin, was laying a cement foundation for a 118,000-square-foot expansion of Riverdale Mills Corp. Giordano was working along a wall near the basement ceiling when he climbed down a ladder to the ground to retrieve some tools, Northbridge Fire Chief Gary Nestor said. The wall Giordano was working along borders a man-made water stream called a tailrace that serves an on-site hydropower operation, said property owner James Knott Sr. It reconnects with the Blackstone River about 500 feet from where Giordano was stuck in the mud. Giordano's legs got stuck when when he stepped in a muddy area created by water spillover from the hydropower operation, Nestor said. Employees spent an hour trying to help Giordano negotiate his legs out of the mud, Nestor said. They then called Northbridge Fire Department for assistance at 8:10 a.m. Pulling Giordano's legs free did little good except to cause him pain because the mud had created a strong suction, Nestor said. Other firefighter efforts, such as digging and trying to drain water from the ground with a Northbridge Public Works Sewer pump, were equally unsuccessful, Nestor said. "The thing just kept filling up with water, more and more and more so that's what made it difficult," Nestor said. Nestor finally called in the Southern District 14 Technical Rescue Team. The group of firefighters from Southborough, Ashland, Milford and Hopkinton is trained for rescues in trenches and small spaces. About 16 members of the group responded around 10 a.m., said Ashland Fire Lt. Scott Boothby, the district's team coordinator. They found Giordano with one leg knee-deep in mud and the other leg covered up to the thigh. The rescue team stabilized the ground around the mud, then freed Giordano's legs from the mud with a compressor and a soil pick -- a tool that pushes air through a pipe, Boothby said. "Within ten minutes of us getting there, the patient was extricated from the mud and taken to the hospital," Boothby said. By that time he was freed, Giordano was visibly bothered by the cool water temperature, Boothby said, though officials say he did not lose consciousness. "He was getting to the point that he was getting a little hypothermic," Boothby said. Knott, who purchased the mill in 1979, is acting as general contractor for his company's expansion, which started in May 2002 and scheduled for completion next September. He is expanding because his company, Riverdale Mills Corp., which manufactures wire-mesh lobster traps, has been growing since beginning production of "Wire Wall" security fences several years ago. Knott has clashed with the town over the expansion several times over the past year, first over a tax break the Board of Selectmen denied because it was requested after Knott began construction and over a $33,000 building permit fee. Knott has filed a lawsuit against the town over the fee, saying it is nearly 10 times the amount he was charged for a 1996 expansion approximately half the size of the current project. The Harvard graduate has powered his mill with hydrolectric turbines, feeding off the Blackstone River, since 1985. "It saves me about $100,000 a year (in electricity) that I don't have to buy," Knott said. Knott said he recently shut the turbines down for several months during construction. The construction site was completely dry before he turned off the operation. Yesterday's accident gives him no reason to turn the operation off again, he said. Giordano could have avoided problems by simply relaxing and slowly pulling his legs from the mud, Knott said. "Every one in the world does know or should know your body is only half the density of quicksand," Knott said. "You float in it."
Worker injured at ISU site By: Jason Kristufek, Staff Writer July 02, 2003 A construction worker was injured on Tuesday at the site of a new community center on the Iowa State University campus. Authorities identified the injured worker as Michael McCool, 37, of Ogden. He was transported by ambulance to Mary Greeley Medical Center for treatment of injuries to his arm and wrist. A spokesman for the hospital had no information on McCool this morning. University officials said McCool is an employee of Miron Construction Co., based in Wisconsin. The company does have a branch office in Des Moines. McCool was part of a construction crew working to complete the Union Drive Association Community Center. The building will have a cafeteria and commons area for use by students. It is located between State Gymnasium and Friley Hall on the west side of campus. ISU Police Capt. Gene Deisinger said workers were unloading several cement columns with a forklift. Apparently, a strap that held one of the columns in place broke and pinned McCool's arm, he said. "He had several hundred pounds on top of his arm," Deisinger said. "The other employees used the forklift to raise the object off of him." The Ames Fire Department and rescue units responded, as did officers from ISU Police. Authorities said the injuries did not appear to be life threatening.
Large construction crane topples at D/FW airport 07/02/2003 From Staff Reports A large construction crane toppled over early Wednesday afternoon at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport's Terminal D. No one is known to have been injured in the accident, which airport officials are investigating, airport spokeswoman Star Ormand said. No cause or damage estimate is immediately available, Ms. Ormand said. Terminal D is D/FW's future all-international flight terminal and is currently under construction. It is slated to open in 2005 as the airport's fifth terminal.
UPDATE Woman sentenced for killing construction worker while driving drunk ABC13 Eyewitness News (7/01/03 - HOUSTON) — A local woman will go to jail for 15 years for killing a city worker while driving drunk. Thirty-four-year-old Yvonne Marie Webber pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle Tuesday. Back in late February, Webber was driving drunk when she hit Benny Allen Junior while he was doing street repair work on Braeswood near Braesridge in southwest Houston. Allen later died at the hospital. Police say at the time of the accident, Webber's blood alcohol level was .32, four times the legal limit.
Worker killed, 14 others seriously injured in lift crash JOHOR BAHRU July 1 - An Indonesian construction worker was killed and 14 of his co-workers were seriously injured when their service lift developed brake failure and crashed to the ground from the eighth floor of the 17-storey condo block under construction at Tampoi near here Tuesday. Johor Bahru Selatan OCPD, SAC II Hashim Mohamad Yusof said some of the seriously injured suffered broken limbs and were now warded at the Hospital Sultanah Aminah here. He said the person who died at the scene was identified as 40-year-old Paidi. Speaking to Bernama, he discounted sabotage as the cause of the accident which occurred at 8.15 am. He said the service lift which operated from the outside of the building could carry about 10 people at any one time. The workers aged between 20 and 40 were going up when the accident occurred. There was a sombre mood among the Indonesian workers who gathered at the scene to ponder on the fate of their colleagues. Kempas Assemblyman Osman Sapian who visited the site said the condo block as part of the Johor Education Foundation (YPJ) Holdings privatised project and was scheduled for completion next year. Two other blocks of the Amona Condominium Project had been completed and occupied and 40 units of the block now under construction had been bought by the Johor Government for state civil servants, he said. Meanwhile a spokesman for Amona Consolidated Holdings Sdn Berhad when contacted said officials of the Occupational Safety and Health Department visited the scene and gave permission for construction work to go ahead but grounded the service lift.
Three workers injured in blast after underground cabling work fails By Johnson Choo Three workers were injured in an explosion at the junction of Tanjong Katong Road and Dunman Road on Tuesday. They were in a manhole carrying out cabling work for a residential development when the accident happened. One of the injured, a 37-year-old man, had 30 percent burns and was sent to the Singapore General Hospital for treatment. The other two suffered minor burns and had refused to go for outpatient treatment. According to PowerGrid, the accident happened when the cables' insulation failed. This resulted in a short circuit and an explosion followed.
Man in stable condition after accident at work SAN DIMAS — A 28-year-old San Dimas man received a cut to his forearm Monday evening in an industrial accident, sheriff's deputies said. Jeff Vandenburg was working at Straight Arrow Construction at 466 W. Arrow Highway at 7:05 p.m. when he cut himself on some sheet metal, said Los Angeles County sheriff's Lt. Chris Branuelas. Firefighters said the cut severed an artery in his forearm, causing major blood loss. Vandenburg was taken to San Dimas Community Hospital where he was listed in stable condition, firefighters said. The cause of the accident was being investigated, deputies said.
Seward man killed in accident By JENNI DILLON Peninsula Clarion A 24-year-old Seward man was killed Saturday in an industrial accident at Afognak Construction in Seward. Pete Fretwell, a former mechanics student at the Alaska Vocational Technical Center in Seward, was changing the tire on a dump truck when a split rim blew off the tire, striking Fretwell in the forehead and killing him instantly, according to Alaska State Troopers. Sgt. Brandon Anderson, stationed with the troopers in Seward, responded to the call, which came in about noon Saturday. Anderson said Fretwell was working on reinstalling the front tire of an older dump truck when the accident occurred. Like many older trucks, the vehicle had a split rim ‹ a steel ring that helps hold the tire in place. Anderson said split rims have been considered hazardous for many years, and tires usually are inflated within a steel cage to protect workers from possible split rim accidents. Afognak Construction personnel acted according to that procedure, Anderson said, inflating the tire within a cage Friday. "It held firm" Anderson said. It wasn't until a crew rolled the tire outside and was using an air wrench to put the lug nuts on that the split rim blew. "It blew off with explosive force," Anderson said. The piece of metal struck Fretwell in the forehead. Troopers and Seward police responded to the accident, and Seward Emergency Medical Services also were called. Fretwell was pronounced dead at the scene.
Construction accident leads to death 6/30/2003 A 59-year-old man who worked for a Fairburn construction company was crushed and killed June 23 by a back-hoe on Autry Mill Road. The incident occurred at the Atlanta-Fulton County Water Treatment Plant, near the Autrey Mill Nature Preserve, at about 8:30 a.m. Leonard Albert McCright of Monroe was killed when the bucket of a back-hoe driven by his brother, John E. McCright, 60, was lowered, crushing him. he victim had been standing on a ladder about 15 feet off the ground that was leaning against the top of a temporary steel plate, which covered a pipe. He was waiting for the back-hoe to lower a chain so he could attach it to the plate so workers could pull it off the ground. The victim was on one side of a 16-foot concrete wall and the back-hoe was on the other. McCright reportedly yelled for his brother to lower the arm of the back-hoe over the wall. No one saw what happened after that, police said. It appears when the bucket came down it pinned the victim between the top of the plate and the bucket. The two brothers worked for Reynolds Inc. construction company.
Crane Accident at Construction Site Kills Five Five workers were killed yesterday morning when a crane beam broke and fell at an apartment construction site in Pyongtaek, Kyonggi Province. Four others were seriously injured and are receiving medical care at nearby hospitals. The workers were working above the crane when its beam broke, causing them to fall 45 meters to the ground below, killing five instantly. Police are investigating the exact cause of the accident.
Man killed in building collapse in Little Elm 06/30/2003 From Staff Reports One man was killed and two others were injured after a storage building collapsed as they tried to dismantle it, officials said. A 38-year-old man was killed when the 20-foot-by-20-foot building collapsed on him and he and the two men, said Little Elm firefighter Robert Brown. The men were tearing down the small, square-shaped shed at Oakwood and Boys Club roads in the Rocky Point neighborhood near Lewisville Lake when it collapsed around 9 a.m., said Shawn Russell of the Little Elm Fire Department. Two men were taken to Denton Region Medical Hospital, one with a broken leg and the other with cuts and bruises. Officials declined to release the name of the men pending notification of relatives. The men worked for a local construction company, said sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Patton. Little Elm is about 20 miles northwest of Dallas.
HSWA Section 7(a) prosecution of site foreman Mr John Cullen, a site foreman employed by O’Rourke Civil and Structural Engineering Limited, has been fined £1,500 with HSE costs of £1,380 after he pleaded guilty at the City of London Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 25th June, to a breach of Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Mr Cullen's prosecution related to an accident at the new Sutton Police Station project in Surrey on 12th November 2001, his employers were the project Principal Contractors. Unsafe system of work - Mr Cullen was given the task of establishing the site, which included the erection of a site hoarding around the perimeter. Several large advertising billboards were in place around the site, and had to be removed to accommodate the hoarding. The client had agreed to remove the billboards, but there were several delays in this being carried out. The foreman had already arranged for some of the advertising billboards to be removed by having them lifted into the site with an excavator and a lifting sling. However, the Project Manager told him to stop, as arrangements were made for the client to remove the billboards, and it was not part of the O’Rourke method statement. On Monday 12th November 2001 Mr Ron Given began work on the site as a joiner, employed to help make sections of the site hoarding. That afternoon it was decided to remove a large advertising billboard. This required access at height, to remove the frame of the billboard. Under the supervision of Mr Cullen an excavator assisted them. The bucket was turned around on the machine, and Mr Given climbed into the bucket to be lifted to the top of the billboard, a height of approximately five metres. The bucket fell from the machine tippingout Mr Given who fell to the ground with the excavator bucket falling onto his legs. Unable to work again- Mr Given sustained two badly fractured legs and it is unlikely that he will be able to work again, he can still only walk a short distance with the aid of sticks. HSE investigation revealed that the safety pin had not been inserted in the quick-hitch, and that the warning buzzer on the quick-hitch switch was not working. Nevertheless, Mr Given would not have been injured if Mr Cullen had intervened to prevent this highly unsafe system of work. Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: “It shall be the duty of every employee while at work to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work.”
Fire at mall No evacuations were needed late Friday morning when a welder accidentally ignited a grease fire in an exhaust duct in a mechanical area that is off-limits to the public but situated near the food court at the West Ridge Mall, a Topeka Fire Department official said. A mall security guard felt shortness of breath after trying to put out the blaze from the building's roof and was taken to a Topeka hospital to be checked out, said Battalion Chief Edward Gerhardt, of the Topeka Fire Department. Gerhardt said the blaze did an estimated $500 damage inside the mall at 1801 S.W. Wanamaker Road. Firefighters were called at 11:33 a.m., said Fire Department Shift Commander John Lord. Gerhardt said the fire was ignited in a mechanical area just below the roof in an exhaust duct that leads outdoors from a grill at a former Burger King site in the food court. That mechanical area is off-limits to the public. A worker was welding a new section of duct work to the existing section when grease inside the older section ignited ccidentally, according to Gerhardt. He said firefighters were able to put out the blaze easily.
N.C. firefighters rescue worker buried in ditch; Labor officials investigating site incident The Associated Press GOLDSBORO, N.C. - A man helping to install a sewer tap was buried for 20 minutes Friday morning when the ditch in which he was working collapsed. Firefighters who answered the call for help found only an arm sticking out of the mud when they arrived at the construction site. Fire Chief Bobby Greenfield said rescuers slid an oxygen mask to the trapped worker, so he could breathe while they dug him out. The trapped man's arm was numb because of the pressure on it from the dirt, assistant fire chief Jerry Langston said. But he was breathing fine when he was unearthed. "I feel like he will be OK," he said. "The guys did a great job getting him out." The man was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital. The hospital and the fire department did not release his name or condition. The worker was installing pipe to a private residence, Greenfield said. A sewer tap is where pipes from a house line connect with a city sewer line. No one else was in the ditch when it collapsed. Greenfield said the area around the ditch was damp, and that could have caused the walls to cave in. City plumbing inspector Russell Lawrence said the contractor working on the site was Mark Burlingame. Efforts to find a telephone number for him were unsuccessful. Greenfield said officials from the N.C. Department of Labor were investigating the accident, and he didn't know if charges would be filed. Labor spokeswoman Dolores Quesenberry said the department would not comment until it finishes investigating.
Worker Freed After Crane Collapse; No Word On Worker's Condition Story by Boston Channel REVERE, Mass. -- A worker was rescued in Revere Thursday afternoon when a huge crane he was operating collapsed in an industrial area. The scene of the accident was the Global Oil Company in Revere. The worker eventually was extracted and there is no word on his condition. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating whether the company and the crane's owners, Glancy Crane based in Avon, had complied with all safety measures.
Part of house falls on worker; Man in critical condition after crushed in Thursday accident in Livermore By Scott Steinberg STAFF WRITER Saturday, June 28, 2003 - LIVERMORE -- A Newark man was in critical condition Friday, a day after part of a house fell on him. Victor Rivas was a member of a six-person crew from Pleasanton-based Call and Haul. The crew was demolishing a single-story, 1,100-square-foot home at 1894 Elm St. in Livermore, the fire department said. While removing some of the interior walls, the roof -- which was intact -- fell through the house about 7:50 a.m. Some of Rivas's co-workers dragged him out of the house, although he was still covered with part of the roof until firefighters extricated him, Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Capt. Paul Legasa said. Rescue crews erected a temporary shore before removing Rivas from the rubble. An ambulance took the injured construction worker to Junction Avenue Middle School, where he was airlifted to the Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley. Rivas was under the roof for 16 minutes, Legasa said. Jeff Cobkins, president of Call and Haul, spent most of Thursday at the hospital with Rivas and his family. He said Rivas is in his 20s and does not have a wife or children. "He's a good person," Cobkins said. "It's rough, really rough. Our prayers are going out towards Victor." He added that this is Call and Haul's first accident. Part of the roof also fell on a gas meter, forcing Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to cut away the structure and shut off the valve. Legasa said the fire department brought three engines, one ladder truck and a rescue rig designed for collapsed buildings, along with 16 rescue personnel. The captain added that Rivas was conscious before he was transported to the hospital. The state's Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating the accident.
Texas man dies when building collapses 06/29/03 By MAX SMITH Staff Reporter A demolition worker from Texas was killed in southeast Mobile County on Saturday after the eight-story building he and four others were working on collapsed prematurely, authorities said. Darrel Sallas, who was in his 40s, was weakening girders with blowtorches at the base of an abandoned building owned by BASF Corp. on the Degussa Corp. property off Rangeline Road, according to Lt. David Hill, supervisor of the Criminal Investigations Division of the Mobile County Sheriff's Department. BASF is the North American affiliate of BASF AG of Germany. The building collapsed about 1:30 p.m. as the men were working, Hill said. Four of the men ran one way and escaped, while Sallas ran another way and never made it out. Sallas' body was visible at the edge of the rubble, Hill said. "He was so close to making it," Hill said. It appears that one of the beams or some concrete hit Sallas as he was trying to make his way out, Hill said. His body was turned over to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences to determine cause of death. "You can imagine eight stories collapsing in on itself," Hill said. "It was pretty chaotic ... a rough scene." Sallas was working for a demolition company based in New Jersey, Hill said. Further information on Sallas was not available, because he wasn't carrying identification. Keith Jones, a spokesman with Degussa, identified the demolition company as R. Baker and Sons All Industrial Services. The building that collapsed was the last major building left of BASF's acetal plant on the property, according to Wolfgang Heim, manufacturing supervisor for the plant. Demolition started in January. The BASF plant made acetal under the brand name UltraForm. The material is an acetal copolymer resin, which is a type of industrial plastic used in conveyer systems, gears, automotive parts, appliances and toys. UltraForm was started in 1988 as a joint project between BASF and Degussa, Heim said. In 1999, BASF decided to buy the whole venture, then decided to stop production last summer for financial and economic reasons. Degussa remained the owner of the property where the plant was built, Heim said. The New Jersey demolition company won a bidding process for the project and has previously worked in Alabama, Heim said. Representatives with R. Baker and Sons could not be reached for comment Saturday.
Dump truck backs over road worker CAMDENTON, Mo. (AP) -- A 58-year-old road worker was killed Thursday morning when a dump truck backed over him, the Missouri State Highway Patrol said. Harold Morrison, of Macks Creek, was working on a construction project along Missouri 5 near Camdenton around 8:28 a.m. when the dump truck backed up to dump asphalt and ran over Morrison, the patrol said. Morrison didn't notice the truck was backing toward him, the patrol said. Morrison was pronounced dead at the scene.
Excavating Crew Causes Manchester Gas Leak BY KRISTA PRIMROSE, Times-Union Staff Writer NORTH MANCHESTER – Natural gas clouded North Manchester when a Bunn Inc. excavating crew accidentally hit an 8-inch steel gas main line around 3 p.m. Monday. The gas main, which provides service to a large section of North Manchester, began releasing gas after a bulldozer struck a service “T” at the corner of Main and Mill streets. Gas rushed out of the hole, sounding like a waterfall, until 9 p.m., when a properly equipped NIPSCO crew arrived on the scene. North Manchester Fire Department was notified of the leak about 3 p.m. and contacted NIPSCO immediately. At 3:17 p.m. a second call requesting immediate assistance was made and minutes later, homes and businesses within four blocks of the leak were evacuated. NIPSCO service trucks arrived at 5 p.m. but found that, due to the size of the leak, special equipment was needed. A welding crew from Monticello was needed to stop gas flow to the line in both directions. The gas flow was finally stopped around 9:30 p.m. and workers finished repairing the main about :30 a.m. today. Larry Graham, NIPSCO spokesman, said isolating the gas flow and shutting off only the damaged section was in the town’s best interest. Though the leak could have been stopped immediately, by disconnecting service to the line, a large portion of North Manchester would have been without gas services until the line was fixed. The Bunn excavating site superintendent, who declined to give his name, said the line was supposed to be abandoned, thus accommodating his team’s work. He declined to state whose responsibility it was to ensure the line was inactive. According to Graham, the gas line was on NIPSCO’s schedule for lowering next week. This change in depth was planned to accommodate digging for the CVS construction. Estimates regarding how much gas escaped are not yet available. No long-term effects are expected from the leak.
WTC Site Worker Killed; Death in accident is first since 9/11 By Alfonso A. Castillo STAFF WRITER; Staff writers Carrie Mason-Draffen, Graham Rayman and Tom Demoretcky contributed to this story. June 26, 2003 A Farmingdale man became the first worker in the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site to die on the job when he was crushed while painting part of a commuter rail station, authorities said. Officials said Hugo Martinez, 36, was being carried in a construction lift about 20 feet off the ground when he was crushed. He was found dead yesterday morning by other workers. Martinez had been painting the temporary PATH station being built at the site, but the exact sequence of events was unclear yesterday. Allen Levine, of L&L Painting in Hicksville, where Martinez worked for about eight years, said the victim was working in a basket as one of five employees at the time of the accident. "I'm not aware of all the facts. OSHA [The Occupational Safety and Health Administration] has taken charge of the investigation. They have taken the lift away and have sent us a letter requesting certain information," Levine said. "I get a chill every time I think about it. It's a terrible thing." Pasquale DiFulco, a spokesman fo r the Port Authority, which owns the site, said OSHA was investigating. "It is the first accident-related fatality since September 11, 2001," DiFulco said. "The safety record there has been exceptional." Relatives said Martinez exemplified the American dream in his Sunset Avenue home, where he lived with his wife of six years, Marta, and three sons ages 1 to 5. Martinez immigrated to New York about 15 years ago from his native Paraguay, where his family lived humble lives. He lived in Flushing and worked various jobs while studying English until he became fluent. Along the way, he met and fell in love with Marta and soon started a family of his own. He found work as a painter and made a name for himself through his steadfast work ethic - sometimes working two jobs. He eventually saved enough money to buy his home in Farmingdale, but still kept his family in South America a top priority. He bought his mother a house there and was putting his sister through college, the relatives added. "He lived for his family over there," said Martinez's sister-in-law Florencia Nuñez, who lived with the couple. "He took such good care of them." Martinez's living room was filled with mementos of a life well lived. A photography enthusiast, Martinez kept dozens of framed photos of his family on walls and counters - his sons sitting on the lap of a department store Santa Claus, he and his wife in an embrace on their wedding day. Nuñez thumbed through hundreds of other recently developed photos - pictures from his oldest son Palermo's 5th birthday party, his youngest, Cameron, playing in the tub, and the three boys lying next to each other on the couch. Ivan, 2, grabbed one of the photos and held it with both hands as he gazed at it with familiarity. Nuñez said Palermo took the news hard. "He knows that when somebody is not well, they go to heaven," she said through tears. "He said, 'I'm not going to have food anymore.'" Nuñez said funeral arrangements are being handled by Arthur F. White Funeral Home in Bethpage. The family plans to fly the remains to Paraguay for burial. Officials with Martinez's union, District Council 9 of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, did not return a phone call yesterday. L&L Painting, which employs about 300 people, is working as a subcontractor for a Yonkers, Tully, Pegno joint venture under contract with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. According to OSHA records, the agency fined L&L several times in the past six years, but the violations didn't involve fatalities. The fines ranged from several hundred dollars to several thousand and included citations for scaffolding defects and inadequate fall-protection equipment. Staff writers Carrie Mason-Draffen, Graham Rayman and Tom Demoretcky contributed to this story.
Construction worker tumbles to death from ninth storey The Gazette Wednesday, June 25, 2003 Fatal fall at construction site: Second major accident in two weeks at new e-commerce project downtown. A construction worker in his 40s plunged almost 30 metres to his death Monday at the site of the Cité de la Commerce Électronique after part of a platform he was working on collapsed. The work-related death was the second major accident in two weeks at the construction site, the future home of the provincial government subsidized e-commerce complex. Urgences Santé technicians travelling south in an ambulance on Crescent St. watched the final seconds of the worker's descent before he landed in a pile of rubble. The worker, whose name has not been made public, had ventured onto a platform on the ninth floor, where the safety jacks had apparently been removed. It took several minutes to free the man from the debris. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. The construction site is at the corner of René Lévesque Blvd. and Lucien L'Allier St. The Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail, the provincial workplace health and safety board, has opened an investigation of the death. On June 10, a pedestrian suffered a broken leg when a load of steel pipes fell from a crane and rolled over him. After that accident, the board was called in to investigate and immediately found flaws in the safety process. The sidewalk between the crane and the construction site had not been closed to pedestrians and there were no clear markings to warn passers-by of the danger.
UPDATE Crane falls at construction site, injuring worker An internal investigation continues today to determine why a section of a crane fell six feet onto a construction worker's leg at the site of what will be a new indoor football practice facility adjacent to Jack Trice Stadium. Leslie Johnson, 46, of Omaha, Neb., was part of a three-man crew that was shortening the crane's boom on Wednesday afternoon. A section fell on his left leg trapping him for a matter of minutes. He was freed by workers with equipment on the construction site before fire and medical crews arrived to stabilize him. Johnson was taken to Mary Greeley Medical Center where he was treated for a broken leg and listed in fair condition Wednesday night. A hospital spokesman said this morning that Johnson had been transferred, but no further details were available. "One of the things that really helped was the fast reaction of the employees that were here, that realized the situation and got other equipment on site to the scene and got things under control," said Mike Tousley, the president of the eitz Co. The 60-ton crane had its boom resting on the ground when the accident occurred. Workers were removing several pins from a joint in the boom when a section fell to the ground and injured Johnson, Tousley said. The crane was being shortened to pick up and place a section of steel, he said. "All proper safety issues were followed," Tousley said. He would not comment on how the accident occurred or the process that workers go through when dismantling a crane's boom. Tousley cited the ongoing investigation as the reason for not offering many details of the accident. The Weitz Company is the project's contractor and the company that hired the crane subcontractor, J.P. Cullen & Sons, Inc., which is based in Wisconsin. Johnson was employed by the Cullen company, Tousley said. The $9.6 million practice facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year. Construction crews sent many workers home a few hours early on Wednesday. Workers returned this morning. Tousley estimated 15 to 20 workers were on the construction site when the accident occurred. "It was a tough situation for everyone involved," Tousley said. "Everyone was concerned with the welfare of the employee."
Construction Worker Injured In Memorial Stadium Renovation POSTED: 8:52 a.m. CDT June 20, 2003 NORMAN, Okla. -- A construction worker is in critical condition after falling 68 feet from the new second deck being built on the University of Oklahoma football stadium. Ian Cox, 19, suffered a broken back and brain swelling, officials said Thursday. Project officials said they haven't completed an investigation into the accident, but said Cox fell about 1 p.m. Wednesday while working on handrails at the Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. "It was just a freak accident," said Mark Rose, a spokesman for Advanced Masonry, a subcontractor on the project.
Two injured at American Tobacco By: News 14 Carolina Staff Two men working on renovations at the American Tobacco Complex are recovering from an onsite accident. The two were on scaffolding about 15 feet in the air when part of a brick wall fell and knocked them to the ground. Both were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Punctured gas line leaves many without June 21, 2003 Two major Camarillo retail centers and hundreds of residents were without gas Friday as Southern California Gas Co. employees worked to restore service to about 1,000 customers after a line was struck by a construction worker. The stores of Target Center, Camarillo Outlets and Old Town Camarillo were among those whose gas was cut off when the worker hit a 6-inch line while installing a storm drain at 21 Lewis Road, near Highway 101, in conjunction with a highway project. Shortly before 1 p.m., fire officials got a call about the break. While workers tried to isolate where the line was damaged, the company shut off gas south of the freeway from Lewis Road west to Las Posas Road. Traffic on Ventura Boulevard was redirected. Gas Co. officials expected employees to work all night Friday repairing the line. Tags with a phone number to call to have service restored were left on doors where occupants were not home. Anyone who still doesn't have gas service today should call (800) 427-2200.
Water main ruptures in city of Shasta Lake Scott Mobley Record Searchlight June 20, 2003 — 2:12 a.m. Shasta Lake officials asked residents to squelch their water use Thursday while crews fixed a ruptured main. Some 30 households around the Montana Street leak went without water much of the day. Workers had to cut them off to replace about a foot of severed steel pipe. The leak hit the city's 50-year-old main transmission line, which brings in water from the west, said Chuck Robinson, water treatment supervisor. "It was kind of a fluke," Robinson said. "We get leaks all the time. This one just happened to be in a bad spot." The Bella Vista Water District shipped Shasta Lake some water to help it survive until crews finished repairing the line around 3 p.m. The two jurisdictions help each other out in emergencies under an agreement inked during the early-1990s drought. The pipe ruptured shortly after 3 a.m. Thursday. The city lost about 120,000 gallons of water over the next 12 hours, Robinson estimates. The city of Shasta Lake typically consumes 4 million to 5 million gallons of water per day. Jose Castro, a lead worker for the city's public works department, blamed the leak on construction damage. A grader had scratched the pipe where it burst, he said.
