MEC&F Expert Engineers : 09/01/15

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Bicyclist hospitalized after collision with truck in Downtown Boise, ID; truck driver cited for failure to yield



Statesman Staff


September 1, 2015

BOISE, ID


A 23-year-old bicyclist was taken to the hospital after a collision with a truck Tuesday morning, Boise police said.

The man’s injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. He was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

The 54-year-old driver of the truck was cited for failure to yield.

The crash was reported at 9:22 a.m. at Broadway and Myrtle streets in Downtown Boise.

A police spokesman said the truck was traveling east on Myrtle Street and turned north onto Broadway Avenue. The vehicle truck the bicyclist in the crosswalk.

The bicyclist had the right of way, police said.

Another Boise car v. bicycle collision was reported a short time later, but that incident turned out to be a scooter that ran into a truck, police said.

The incident was reported at Gary Lane and Tobi Street at 9:32 a.m.

The scooter was traveling north and ran into the side of the truck as it was turning south onto Gary.

There were no injuries, and the vehicles had very little damage. No citations were issued this morning.

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/09/01/3964872/bicyclist-hospitalized-after-collision.html#storylink=cpy

The American Police, Shoot First and Ask Questions Later: Police Officer Shoots and Wounds Innocent Man and Another Officer, Kills Man's Dog in Police Address Mix-Up in Atlanta, GA





ATLANTA — Sep 1, 2015, 5:49 PM ET
By RAY HENRY and RUSS BYNUM Associated Press




DeKalb County police officers work at the scene where an Atlanta-based officer was shot Monday evening, Aug. 31, 2015, five miles from Atlanta. DeKalb County police spokeswoman Mekka Parrish did not immediately have any details about the... View Full Caption The Associated Press



A man shot by police officers who went to the wrong Atlanta house ran bleeding outside where a neighbor heard him asking, "Why did they come in my house? Why did they shoot me? Why did they shoot my dog?"

It happened Monday night when officers arrived at the wrong Atlanta address after a report of suspicious activity, shot homeowner Christopher McKinley, killed his dog and "likely" shot a fellow officer, leaving him seriously wounded, authorities said Tuesday.

The bloody misunderstanding began when DeKalb County police received a report of a possible burglary at a one-story residence near an intersection in southeast Atlanta. Lacking an exact address, the officers were sent in the dark to a neighborhood where many of the single-story homes look similar.

Three officers found a home they thought matched a description provided by a 911 caller, but were unable to make contact with anyone inside, according to a statement from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. They entered the home through an unlocked rear door and two officers fired their guns at a dog, killing it.

McKinley, 36, was also shot in the leg by police, GBI officials said. Officer Travis Jones was shot in the hip and listed in serious condition at Grady Memorial Hospital. The GBI released the names of the two wounded men Tuesday evening.

"Early investigation indicates that the injured officer was likely shot accidently by one of the other officers on the scene," GBI officials said in a statement.

However, GBI spokesman Scott Dutton said it was too early to determine exactly who fired the gunshots. Dutton said he did not know if anyone in the home was armed besides the police. GBI officials said there is no evidence residents there had committed any crimes.

McKinley returned home early Tuesday, limping and wearing hospital scrubs, but declined to comment.

Tama Colson, who lives two doors down from the home where the shooting erupted, said she was coming home from a walk when she saw police cars speed past and soon heard a series of gunshots.

Colson told The Associated Press that as she rounded the corner, she saw her wounded neighbor and his wife fleeing their home. McKinley's wife was screaming, Colson said, and he was yelling: "They shot me and they shot my dog!"

Colson said her neighbor had a bullet wound a couple of inches above his right knee.

She said she knelt beside him in the yard and used a shirt to staunch the bleeding as he told her what happened.

"He told me they were in the house watching television when they heard something in the backyard," Colson said. "The husband gets up to check, opens the door and he just sees shooting. He gets hit and his dog is dead."

She said police never questioned McKinley while she was there helping him.

Derek Perez told The AP that he reported the suspicious person, but at a different house than the one police entered. He said he was walking his dog when he saw a man knock on a neighbor's door and then just stand in the yard. He said he then heard a loud noise, a dog barking and didn't see the man anymore. There had been break-ins in the neighborhood recently, so he called 911, he said.

Bob Gilman, who lives nearby, said he heard police sirens Monday night, went outside and saw his neighbor sitting on the driveway, wounded. Gilman said police officers escorted him away before he could ask what had happened. He was stunned that officers had opened fire.

A construction worker killed after he fell about 38 feet from a platform at the top of a man lift on Jamul Indian Village land in California






Worker falls to his death at Jamul casino site

By Pauline Repard


September 1, 2015

EAST COUNTY, CALIFORNIA


A construction worker fell to his death Tuesday at the site where a controversial casino is being built on Jamul Indian Village land, authorities said.

He was reported to have fallen about 38 feet from a platform at the top of a man lift, sheriff's Lt. Jim Walker said. The 56-year-old man appears to have died instantly, authorities said.

The accident was reported about 8:20 a.m. at the casino project on state Route 94/Campo Road south of Peaceful Valley Ranch Road, Cal Fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser said.

The man's name was not released.

Sheriff's deputies and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating the industrial accident.

The $360 million project includes a 3-story casino and 8-story parking garage on part of the 6.3-acre reservation. Many local residents, including county Supervisor Dianne Jacob, have opposed the project since the 1990s because of the scale of the buildings and impact on traffic along the rural, winding two-lane road.

Worker was electrocuted to death in a bucket truck as he was tying in a new electric line in Arab, Alabama



Power restored in eastern portion of Arab; worker killed by electrocution earlier today
Posted September 1, 2015, 


by Claire Aiello, Kelsey Kern and Laura Christmas


ARAB, ALABAMA


Power has been restored to eastern Arab after being out for about four hours. Earlier Tuesday, a contract worker was electrocuted on 12th Avenue while repairing a line.

The Marshall County Coroner identified the man as William Shane Galloway, 36, of Boaz. He worked for a contracting company hired by Arab Electric Cooperative. The incident happened about 10 a.m.

The coroner said Galloway was electrocuted in a bucket truck as he was tying in a new line. His death has been ruled accidental.

Power outage included schools, homes, businesses

Much of the eastern portion of the city was without power, including Arab High School and Arab Primary School. It’s our understanding the school day continued, with teachers and students trying to make the best of the situation.

Homes and businesses were also without power.

WHNT News 19 spoke with Arab Mayor Bob Joslin around 2:15 p.m. He said all power has been restored.

Worker dies after falling into 12-foor excavation hole at Bellevue, WA construction site




Published September 1, 2015

By Jennifer Sullivan
Seattle Times staff reporter

A construction worker has died in Bellevue.

Bellevue police said they were called to a construction site at 116th Avenue Northeast and Northeast Fourth Street for a reported drowning.

When officers arrived shortly after 9:45 a.m. Tuesday they found a man face down in a puddle at the bottom of a 12-foot hole. Other construction workers were performing CPR on the unconscious man, said police spokesman Seth Tyler.

The 51-year-old man was taken to Overlake Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.


“What probably happened was a medical event, a heart attack or something.” Tyler said. “He’d been there up to 10 minutes when he was found.”

As many as 15 workers were injured after a bus transporting migrant workers overturned in Coffee County, Georgia






Up to 15 injured in migrant worker bus crash 


Posted: September 1, 2015
By Dave Miller

(Source: Coffee Co. Ga. Police Scanner Facebook) 


COFFEE CO., GA (WALB) -

Hospital officials said as many as 15 were injured after a bus transporting migrant workers overturned.

It happened before 3 p.m. Tuesday along Harvey Vickers Road in rural Coffee County.

Emergency crews said the bus, carrying dozens of workers, overturned and came to a stop in a ditch.

Those injured were taken to Coffee Regional Medical Center for treatment.

No fatalities were reported.

A disaster command center was established and all available hospital employees were called to help, the Coffee Regional officials said.

They also asked that those without legitimate medical concerns to refrain from visiting the hospital until a later time. Those with minor injuries or Flu-like symptoms were asked to present themselves to the walk-in-clinic.

Anyone with concerns about family members were asked to come to the front lobby of the hospital in order to visit the information center.

Firefighters rescued a worker from a trench collapse Tuesday morning in south Charlotte, NC





One person was rescued from a trench collapse on Kingsdown Avenue Tuesday morning, off Sardis Road in south Charlotte. WBTV



By Joe Marusak

jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com

CHARLOTTE, NC


Charlotte firefighters rescued a victim of a trench collapse Tuesday morning in the 200 block of Kingsdown Avenue, off Sardis Road in south Charlotte.

The victim was taken to Carolinas Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, according to Medic.

Firefighters said they got the person out of the trench in 11 minutes. The trench collapsed about 11:30 a.m.

The trench was about 8 feet deep, according to WBTV, the Observer’s news partner.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com

MORE SPECTRA PIPELINE ACCIDENTS: A man working on Spectra pipeline construction fell into a 15-foot trench and was knocked unconscious in Dedham, Massachusetts


 







IMAGES: Worker rescued from 15-foot trench in Dedham

Posted: September 01, 2015





DEDHAM, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) -- 


A technical rescue saved a man's life late Monday night.

A man working on pipeline construction fell into a 15-foot trench and was knocked unconscious. It happened around 11:30 p.m. on Route 1 north, right in front of Legacy Place.

The worker was initially unconscious after falling into the trench on his stomach. Deputy Fire Chief John Fontaine told FOX25 that the worker was in and out of consciousness during the rescue.

Three rescue workers went into the trench with a backhoe to pull the worker up. EMT's were able to stabilize him and get him to the hospital.

Deputy Fire Chief Fontaine said the man was taken to the hospital with neck and back pain, but he didn't appear to have any broken bones.The rescue was challenging because of the position of the worker within such a tight space. Rescuers also didn't have the benefit of stairs or a gradual grade.

It all happened at the site of the Spectra pipeline, which crews have been working on for weeks.

A pile of crumpled structural steel collapsed Tuesday on the campus of Bryant University, RI injuring six workers

 Mistake by a crane operator may have been key to Bryant structure collapse







A wide view of the collapsed steel frame of an athletic practice facility under construction in RI.
By Patrick Anderson
Posted September 2, 2015

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- 


A mistake by a crane operator has been identified as the possible cause of a building collapse at Bryant University that injured six workers Tuesday morning.
A construction worker who escaped injury told Smithfield police at the scene that crews had been trying to "plumb the building" when the crane operator "must have pulled the steel beam [too] far which caused the structure to collapse," according to a police report released Wednesday. 


The crane operator, identified by the worker only as John, could not be located by Smithfield police and was not interviewed, the report said.


After finding no evidence of suspicious activity, Smithfield police have turned investigation of the building collapse over to the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which has six months to issue findings in the case. 


Smithfield Police Captain Michael Rheaume Wednesday said he does not know the identify of the crane operator or his direct employer, but believes he was not among the injured, as none were named John. 


The building crews were working on was a planned 78,000 square-foot indoor artificial-turf sports practice facility Bryant is building adjacent to playing fields on the northern corner of the campus. 


Plumbing the building refers to straightening the vertical beams of a structure so they are squarely aligned perpendicular to the ground. 


Some of the workers injured in the collapse fell from ceiling beams where they had been working and were briefly trapped in the debris. 


According to the police report, one of the workers was a 45-year-old man from Warren and another a 37-year-old man from Tiverton. The others came from Texas, North Carolina and Maryland and their ages ranged from 24 to 46 years old. 


On Tuesday afternoon, Rhode Island Hospital reported that four of the workers had been treated and released. 


Around noon on Wednesday, hospital spokeswoman Beth Bailey said three of the workers had been treated and released, but three remain patients and are in good condition. 


Both Rhode Islanders are among those still in the hospital. 


The general contractor on the Bryant practice facility was A/Z Corporation of North Stonington, Conn. and the subcontractor erecting the steel was Barnes Buildings and Management Group Inc. of Weymouth, Mass. It was not a union job. 


A/Z Corporation has a clean safety record, according to OSHA, but Barnes Buildings has been cited for three safety violations and fined more than $7,000 since 2010 by the agency. 


Calls to both contractor and subcontractor were not returned. 


Meanwhile at Bryant, crews erected a fence around the accident site and forensic engineers and insurance adjusters Wednesday combed through the rubble, said university spokeswoman Liz O'Neil. The steel frame of the building will not be removed until inspections are done. 


Although Bryant has indicated it intends to continue the practice facility project, O'Neil said she does not know what the next steps in that process are. 


Bryant's fall semester classes begin Tuesday.



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 Some information for  Barnes Buildings and Management Group Inc. of Weymouth, Mass.taken from their web pages

About Us


Since 1996, we have completed design-build projects throughout New England, teaming with our customers to provide design and value enhancements for their engineered systems building needs.

BARNES buildings performs OSHA compliant, professional steel erection and metal installation services with our own trained and equipped crews. Our inter-corporate motto remains “Safety, Quality & Production, every job, every day!” BARNES buildings is prepared to provide exceptional products and service for you on your next project!


//------------------//





Bryant University





Steel structure collapses at Bryant University; Six workers hurt 


Posted: September 01, 2015
By NBC 10 News 



Bryant University SMITHFIELD, R.I. -

A pile of crumpled steel sat where a building under construction collapsed Tuesday on the campus of Bryant University, injuring six workers.

According to Smithfield Fire Chief Robert Selzer, workers were constructing a 78,000-square foot Indoor Practice Facility near the Chase Athletic Center when steel beams fell over at about 8:15 a.m.

"They just started construction, were erecting steel, when something happened on site, the steel in place fell over," Seltzer said.

The collapse injured six construction workers, some of whom fell 30 feet from the top of the steel beams. A few were trapped briefly under the steel, but fire officials say they were easily extricated.

All six men were transported to Rhode Island Hospital. Four of them were released by Thursday afternoon.

"A couple complained of back pain, couple leg injuries, nothing life-threatening. All were alert and conscious upon our arrival. It was reported two briefly lost consciousness for a few seconds," said Capt. Jonathan Polak of the Smithfield Fire Department.

The university broke ground on the project in May, and it was scheduled to open next year.

Elizabeth O'Neil, a university spokeswoman, said construction of the steel beams just started in the past 10 days.

"They were putting up the steel framing that the roof would later go on top of," O'Neil said.

The project is now on hold as the investigation begins into what went wrong, she said.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, A/Z Corporation of North Stonington, Connecticut, is the general contractor and that the sub-contractor that was erecting the steel was Barnes Buildings of North Weymouth, Massachusetts. The university has not officially started the school year. Some students have started to move in, but opening convocation is set for Sept. 9.

OSHA cites Baze Chemical Inc. with 20 violations; fines top $114K for failing to protect workers from catastrophic chemical exposures in Palestine, Texas


Chemical processing manufacturer cited for failing to protect workers
from catastrophic chemical exposures in Palestine, Texas

OSHA cites Baze Chemical Inc. with 20 violations; fines top $114K

Employer name: Baze Chemical Inc., headquartered in Odessa, Texas


Citations issued: Aug. 31, 2015

Investigation findings: Baze was cited for 20 serious violations, most of them related to the Process Safety Management standard, which involves the management of hazards associated with processes using dangerous chemicals. This includes failing to conduct a process hazard analysis prior to processing a batch of chemicals including ethylene oxide, a high hazard product. The employer also did not develop written procedures for the startup, operations or emergencies for chemical processing.

Proposed Penalties: $114,800

Quote: “Process safety management prevents the unexpected release of toxic, reactive or flammable liquids and gases in processes involving highly hazardous chemicals,” said Stephen Boyd, OSHA’s area director in Dallas. “It’s vital that Baze ensure safeguards are in place to protect the safety of workers at this facility.”

Link to the citations: http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/osha/bazechemical1051164.pdf

Information: Baze has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Dallas Area Office at 972-952-1330. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

New Jersey Reservoir Levels as of August 31, 2015: United Reservoirs Take a Hit in August




















Combined Northeast Reservoirs graph represents the total of 13 separate reservoirs with a combined capacity of 76.2 billion gallons (BG). These reservoirs are owned and operated by four agencies. Declaration of Drought "Warning" or "Emergency" is based on analysis of precipitation during the preceding months and reservoir levels.


Designed to be drawn down in the summer, reservoirs refill in the spring through runoff naturally and by pumping water up into them.

United Water of New Jersey has four reservoirs with a total capacity of 13.9 BG.


The Newark Water Department owns five reservoirs with a total capacity of 14.4 BG.

The North Jersey District Water Supply Commission owns and operates two reservoirs with a total capacity of 36.6 BG and two pumping stations on the Pompton and Ramapo rivers which are used to refill the reservoirs.

The Jersey City Water Department owns 2 reservoirs with total capacity of 11.4 BG



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N.J. reservoir levels dip after dry August

The Jersey City Reservoir hosted a Kayak Day on Sunday, August 9, 2015. Kayaks were provided by the Hoboken Cove Boathouse and the event took place between 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. (Michael Dempsey | The Jersey Journal)

  By S.P. Sullivan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
 
on September 01, 2015



New Jersey's reservoirs are operating at below-average levels this week, prompting one utility to warn customers that a recent stretch of dry weather is depleting their supply.

State officials say they're monitoring the situation but that New Jersey is still far from drought conditions.

An unusually dry August is "testing the limits of our supply," said Tom Neilan, senior operations director for United Water New Jersey. The company is encouraging customers to limit outdoor water use because its reservoirs in Bergen and Hudson counties were at less than 50 percent capacity.

Last month was the 13th driest August in New Jersey history, with the state averaging about two inches below normal rainfall. David Robinson, the state climatologist at Rutgers University, said New Jersey would be in trouble if not for a very rainy June, the fourth wettest on record.

"Without June, we'd be in such dire straits," Robinson said.

Late summer is the normal low point for the state's reservoirs, and nearly every reservoir in the state is slightly below historical average levels for that period, according to data from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
 


This graph shows the total of 13 separate reservoirs with a combined capacity of 76.2 billion gallons, located across northeastern New Jersey. NJ DEP

Hot, dry weather is expected to continue for much of the state this week, and the DEP has reactivated its internal drought monitoring group, said Larry Hajna, an agency spokesman. The DEP's drought status for all six drought regions in the state remains normal, however.

"We're keeping a very close eye on the situation," Hajna said, calling the current situation "a short-term dry spell."

The state's reservoirs started the year off at normal levels and dipped slightly in February before recovering in spring, according to state data.

"Since then, it's really been bone dry," Hajna said. "Just ask my lawn, or anybody's lawn."

Only Newark's five reservoirs, owned by the city's water department, are at levels above both the historical average and levels recorded at this time last year. According to the state data, those reservoirs are operating around 85 percent capacity.

A report from NJ Spotlight last month found that water use was on the rise statewide, prompting concerns about the stability of water supplies during periods of drought. United Water said Monday they delivered 400 million more gallons in August than it did in the same month last year.

Radioactive chemical spill occurred last fall at University of Tulsa, officials announce



Were you exposed?

For those who are concerned about potential exposure to the spill, a team of physicians and counselors is available at TU's Alexander Health Clinic. They can be reached at 918-631-2242.

Posted: Tuesday, September 1, 2015

By PAIGHTEN HARKINS World Staff Writer 

Authorities are working to clean up a year-old radioactive chemical spill on the University of Tulsa’s north research campus that was just brought to university officials’ attention last week.

Tracerco, a company contracted through TU, spilled a small amount of the radioactive isotope cesium-137 in the Process Building on TU’s North Campus in the fall 2014 semester, but university officials just learned of the spill Aug. 25, university spokeswoman Mona Chamberlin said.



After university officials learned of the spill, they restricted access to the building and notified the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, which has since been investigating. University officials sent a campus-wide email about the spill on Monday.


“We were really blindsided,” Chamberlin said.


Calls and emails to Tracerco representatives were not returned before press time.


At least 21 people will be evaluated for potential exposure to the chemical, said Dr. Gerard Clancy, vice president of health affairs for TU.


Those individuals will go through an initial assessment and undergo a medical examination. After that, a clinician will continue to monitor their conditions, Clancy said.


“No matter what, we’re going to follow these people carefully and make sure nothing falls through the cracks,” he said.


In this case, university officials aren’t worried about the immediate effects of radiation, such as radiation sickness and burns. Instead, they are worried about the long-term effects, which include an increased risk of cancer, Clancy said.


Individuals can be at risk depending on the amount of time exposed and proximity to the radiation.


While some risk is involved for people who worked around the spill, the risk for those who didn’t is “exceedingly low,” said Scott Holmstrom, associate professor of physics and campus radiation safety officer.


The North Campus, at 2450 E. Marshall St., east of Lewis Avenue between Independence and Pine streets, is restricted to certain people, and its individual buildings are restricted to those who work there, university officials said.


Those who were at the North Campus but weren’t working directly with the research team in the Process Building after the spill have very little risk of exposure, according to a statement from TU.


One of the issues with this spill, which was about the size of a teaspoon, is that it wasn’t reported for almost a year, meaning it has spread through the lab.


“Just imagine if one of your kids dropped jelly in the kitchen. People are going to step in it. It’s going to move it around. You mop it; you’re going to spread it around,” Holmstrom said.


While spills like this can be spread from contact with people’s clothing to areas outside of the lab, there’s no evidence that this happened with this spill, Holmstrom said.


The university is working with authorities from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and Tracerco to clean the spill, according to the statement from TU.


What is cesium?


Cesium is a commonly used radioactive isotope that emits two types of radiation: beta particles and gamma rays. These types of radiation have enough energy to damage human tissue.


Just as UV rays from the sun can damage the outside of someone’s skin, these types of radiation have enough energy to penetrate through the skin and damage the inside of a body, Holmstrom said.


TU researchers regularly use cesium to measure fluid density, which is especially useful in petroleum research, Holmstrom said. Researchers were using the cesium in multiphase flow loops, which simulate what happens when oil is pulled out of the ground, Holmstrom said. In this instance, researchers were using the cesium for a joint industry project managed by the university’s Petroleum Engineering Department.

Family left shaken by pump house explosion, are suing two different gas exploration companies


 Brett Shipp, WFAA 2:18 a.m. CDT September 1, 2015



(Photo: WFAA)


NEWS 8 INVESTIGATES

Over the past couple of years, the Barnett Shale has become the epicenter of the national debate over fracking.

Starting in 2012, WFAA began investigating gas flames flowing out of a water well in Parker County.

Now there's a new case — another water well — so full of natural gas it exploded, nearly killing a Jack County man and some of his family.

Are these cases related? Could it happen again?

These two cases involve water wells in the Barnett Shale located near active natural gas wells. Both water wells are so polluted they had to be shut down.

And both are allegedly contaminated with Barnett Shale gas.


Cody Murray stands in the doorway of a pump house that he said exploded at his Jack County residence in August 2014. (Photo: WFAA)

The big difference is that the Murrays' water well in Jack County exploded last year and three people nearly died. Ashley Murray had never seen anything like what happened in her water well pump house in August of last year.

“I saw water coming out, and then I walked in and there was water dripping from the ceiling and the walls," she said while walking us through the pump house.

She said she quickly called for her husband Cody and his father Jim to come take a look.

Cody Murray also saw the well water everywhere in the pump house. "So I reached down and turned the water valve back on,” he said. "I was sitting here looking, and about that time I started hearing that well making noise."




Cody Murray demonstrates how he bent down to turn off a water valve in his pump house. (Photo: WFAA)

Murray used to work in the oil and gas industry; he recognized that noise: The “wooshing” sound of pressurized gas about to hit the surface.

He said he spun around and yelled to his father to bail out.

"And I picked him up and threw him, and as soon as I threw him there was a massive heat ball of flames," Murray said.

He said the well pump clicked on and a leaking plume of gas erupted.

Murray suffered severe burns on his arms, neck, face and back. His father's hands and face were burned.



A Jack County family wants answers after they were injured when a water pump house exploded in 2014.

And across the yard — 30 feet away — Ashley was holding their four-year-old daughter.

"I ran right over there, and I turned, and then I saw her hair was all burned and she was still screaming," Ashley said.

They were burned and traumatized, but able to survive an ordeal that has the entire family shaken... and eager to find out what happened.

Now, a year later, they look with suspicion out their kitchen window and wonder about the two gas wells located 1,000 feet from their back door. Did pressurized Barnett Shale gas somehow leak into the water table and shoot up into their water well?

Christopher Hamilton, the Murrays' attorney, answers in the affirmative.

"So there are a number of nearby wells, including wells that go underneath this property, that we do not believe — based upon our investigation — do not have sufficient casing, and are likely among the sources of contamination," Hamilton said.

He's talking about the protective layer of cement that surrounds and protects the well bore. Drilling companies are supposed to make sure that surface casing cement goes below and protects all layers of usable water.

Hamilton said the two gas wells behind the Murrays' house were not properly cased. He also said his experts found Barnett Shale gas in the family's water well.

“The scientific measurements and isotopes that have been taken from this water demonstrate that the gas that showed up in their well that caused this explosion began very far under the ground," the attorney said.




The EOG Resources natural gas facility near Cody Murray's home in Jack County. (Photo: WFAA)

The operator of the two wells located on the Murrays' land, EOG Resources, declined to comment, saying they do not discuss pending litigation.

But documents on file with industry regulators at the Texas Railroad Commission — which is investigating the explosion — indicate the gas wells were properly cemented.

Sixty miles to the south, in Parker County, a drilling debate erupted three years ago when homeowner Steve Lipsky began igniting gas vapors coming out of his water well. As in the Murrays' case, Lipsky and his experts also claimed the gas in his water matches the chemical properties of gas found deep in Barnett Shale.

The drilling company denies that, saying the gas in Lipsky's well is not shale gas, but is naturally-occurring.

No matter what the source of the gas, the Murrays want neighbors to know that something in the area went terribly wrong, and they fear it could happen again.

“It’s scary to us,” Ashley Murray said. “Scary because somebody could die."

Meanwhile, the Murrays' contaminated water well is shut down. They have to truck fresh water in every month.

The Railroad Commission's investigation is more than a year old now, and no blame has yet been assessed.

The Murrays are suing two different gas exploration companies hoping to hold someone accountable for ruining their water — and almost their lives.