MEC&F Expert Engineers : 06/25/16

Saturday, June 25, 2016

3 people died and 4 others were hospitalized after a 15-foot skiff capsized off the Catalina Island coast


3 dead, 4 rescued after boat capsizes off Catalina Island coast
 
Updated 7 mins ago
CATALINA ISLAND, Calif. (KABC) -- Three people died and four others were hospitalized after a boat capsized off the Catalina Island coast Saturday morning.

Authorities received a call around 9:32 a.m. on reports of a capsized boat with people in the water. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, several agencies and a Good Samaritan rescued four people.

Coast Guard watchstanders received a call from a vessel called Pacific Quest, reporting that a 15-foot skiff with seven people on board had overturned near Salta Verde Point on the backside of Catalina.

The boater recovered four of the seven people out of the water and two were unresponsive, the Coast Guard said. Another crew rescued another person from the rocks and took them to Long Beach Memorial Hospital in an unknown condition.

Another officer located another person on the beach. The Coast Guard then launched a 45-foot patrol boat, a helicopter and received help from multiple agencies to search for any other victims.

It was unclear what led to the boat turning over. The ages and genders of the victims were not released.

No further information was immediately available.

A 21-year-old pedestrian died after a hit-and-run incident in Hoboken, NJ.


Hoboken hit-and-run leaves 1 dead






Eyewitness News
Saturday, June 25, 2016 12:51PM
HOBOKEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- A 21-year-old man died after a hit-and-run incident in Hoboken Saturday.

The fatal collision was around 3:30 a.m. on Willow Avenue at Sixth Street.

The victim, a pedestrian, was identified as Zackhary Simmons, of Ramsey, N.J. He was pronounced dead at Jersey City Medical Center.

It appears that the impact threw Simmons' body into the rear of a parked vehicle.

According to Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari, police are looking for a large black SUV, like a Yukon, Tahoe or Escalade with New York plates.

A picture from surveillance video released by Hudson County Sheriff's Office:





The Hudson County Sheriff's Crash Investigation Unit and Hoboken Police are investigating. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call either agency.

3 burned in Long Island after they put gasoline into a fire pit




Long Island fire, gas can explosion leaves 3 burned


Eyewitness News
Updated 1 hr 57 mins ago
MEDFORD. Long Island (WABC) -- An explosion at a Long Island home Friday night left three hurt.

According to the Suffolk County Police, officers were called to a gas can explosion caused by fire from a fire pit in Medford.

Someone poured gas on the fire, said police, who responded around 11:35 p.m. to a home on Falcon Avenue.

One youth was burned on his face, body and arms.

Another youth's arms and thigh were burned. A man suffered burns to his arms and hands.







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5 Fire Pit Safety Tips from A Former Wildland Firefighter

4/3/2015 12:42:00 PM

By Jennifer Tuohy




Fire pits are a fantastic addition to any homestead or rural backyard. They are attractive, inexpensive to use and help to extend the use of your yard through the fall and winter. But when you use a fire pit you are literally playing with fire! Careless misuse could not only set your own house ablaze, but also could spark a grass fire and endanger others nearby.

For nearly a decade I lived in southern Idaho, an area of the state prone to large wildfires. During my time there I trained and worked as a volunteer firefighter and helped battle numerous wildfires. I have seen firsthand the destruction an errant spark from a fire pit can cause, and so I want to share these important fire pit safety precautions:
Positioning Your Fire Pit

Whether you are using a portable fire pit or planning to install a permanent one, positioning is key to safety:

• Make sure the fire pit is, at minimum, 10 feet away from any structure or neighboring yard—25 feet is preferable.
• Do not position a fire pit under a covered porch or low hanging tree branches.
• Always place a fire pit on a non-flammable surface, such as patio blocks or concrete.
• Do not put a fire pit on a wooden deck or directly on grass.
Preparing Your Fire Pit

• Clear all flammable materials away from your fire pit before using it. Five feet is a good distance. This “break” in vegetation will help prevent an escaped fire from spreading.
• Piling dirt or rocks around the pit will also help prevent any fire on the ground from escaping.
• The fire pit should be at least 6 inches deep at the center and 2 feet across, to help keep the embers and flames contained.
Lighting Your Fire Pit

• Always check wind direction before you light a fire and remove anything flammable downwind of the pit.
• If it is too windy, do not light your fire pit.
• Do not use lighter fluid to light a fire pit; instead, a commercial fire starter stick with kindling on top is ideal.
• Do not use any flammable fluids (gasoline, lighter fluid, etc.) to light or relight fires.


Using Your Fire Pit

• Never leave a fire pit unattended.


• Never leave children or pets unattended near a fire pit.
• Consider investing in a wire mesh cover to keep embers inside and help prevent children or pets from falling in.
• Limit the amount of fuel you put in the fire—just put what's necessary to keep it burning gently.  Do not pour gasoline directly into a burning fire pit - you are risking explosion and serious injuries or even death
• Don’t put garbage or paper products into the fire. They can easily spark and throw off embers or burning remnants.
• Don’t wear flammable or loose-fit clothing while near the pit.
• Don’t burn soft woods like pine or cedar. These can “pop” and throw sparks.
• Even if you follow all of these guidelines, accidents still happen. Keep a container of water and a hose nearby in case of an emergency.
 


Extinguishing Your Fire Pit

• Always have a shovel nearby to extinguish any escaped flames and to put out the fire itself.
• Extinguish with water: drown it and stir it with the shovel to make sure it’s fully extinguished.
• Dispose of the ashes in a safe manner; keep a metal can that is used solely for ash storage. Even after 2 or 3 days, ashes can still be hot enough to cause a fire.
• Do not discard hot ashes in a compost pile, paper bag, cardboard box or anything that is combustible.

If you follow these guidelines and safely utilize your fire pit, it can be a wonderful addition to your yard. And don’t just limit your cooking to roasting marshmallows over the fire pit; a simple fire pit grill laid over the top can transform it into an excellent outdoor stove!

A worker was killed during the demolition of the old Alliant Energy power plant in the town of Beloit, WI





Worker at Alliant Energy demolition dies in accident
 
Elliot Hughes
Friday, June 24, 2016

TOWN OF BELOIT—A 57-year-old man was killed Friday after an accident during the demolition of the old Alliant Energy power plant in the town of Beloit, police said.

At 11:21 a.m., emergency responders were dispatched to 935 Townline Road and found the man lying on the bottom floor of a partially demolished building with “severe trauma to his abdomen,” according to a news release from the Town of Beloit Fire Department.

The man was taken to Mercy Hospital and Trauma Center in Janesville, where he later died, said Sgt. Laura Palmer of the Town of Beloit Police Department.

Deputy Fire Chief Glen Hennig said the man was part of a demolition crew. He said the man was "working on a beam," when something came loose. Hennig said he believes another beam struck the man.

Authorities have not released the man's name.

Alliant Energy issued a statement that read in part:

"Everyone at Alliant Energy is feeling a deep sense of loss today. We are keeping the individual's family, loved ones and friends in our thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.

We take safety seriously at Alliant Energy, and the safety of our customers, employees and contractors is our first priority. Our company will support the contractor firm, local emergency authorities and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in their full investigation of the accident. The deconstruction site and structure have been stabilized and made safe since the accident."

The Rock River Generating System, a coal- and gas-fired plant idled since 2010, and its nearby outbuildings have been in process of being demolished since May. The project is expected to finish by the end of the year.

A Stanislaus County Public Works employee was killed while cleaning out a manhole on Claribel Road in California



A Stanislaus County Public Works employee was killed Thursday afternoon while cleaning out this manhole on Claribel Road west of the Oakdale-Waterford Highway. Patty Guerra pguerra@modbee.com

June 24, 2016

By Erin Tracy

etracy@modbee.com



A Stanislaus County Public Works employee was killed Thursday afternoon while cleaning out a manhole on Claribel Road west of the Oakdale-Waterford Highway.

Russell Scott Atchinson, 58, of Modesto was alone and on his hands and knees over the manhole on Claribel when he was hit by a GMC Sierra pickup, said California Highway Patrol Lt. J.D. Frost.

The driver, 66-year-old John Masellis of Hughson, had just crested the top of a slight rise in the road over the Claribel Lateral Canal when he spotted Atchinson in the road.

Atchinson looked up at him and Masellis applied the brakes, but it was was too late for either to avoid the accident. Atchinson died at the scene.

“We are extremely saddened by the tragic loss of one of our Public Works employees, Russell Atchinson,” said Patricia Hill Thomas, the county’s chief operations officer. “We are in shock and are grieving. Our deepest and sincerest sympathies go to his family, friends and to his employee family here at Stanislaus County.”

David Jones, spokesman for Stanislaus County, said Atchinson was a senior engineering/surveying technician for the county who was hired in December 2011. He deferred any further comment to the CHP.

Frost would not say if Atchinson put out cones or signage signaling drivers that he was working in the road, citing the ongoing investigation.

Masellis stayed at the scene and cooperated with officers. Drugs and alcohol are not believed to have been factors in the incident.

Frost said Claribel was closed between Albers and the Oakdale-Waterford Highway for about three hours while officers and officials from the California Occupational Health and Safety Administration investigated.

1 female driver killed, 2 injured after high-speed police chase results in 3-vehicle crash in TN


Victims identified, suspect charged in fatal crash


 Brian Wilson, bwilson@dnj.com 2:31 p.m. CDT June 25, 2016



(Photo: RCSO)

MURFREESBORO — A 28-year-old man was charged with vehicular homicide after a 28-year-old Murfreesboro woman died in three-car wreck near the corner of Veterans Parkway and Highway 231 on Friday afternoon.

Garieon Simmons, 28, of Decherd, was booked into the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center early Saturday morning charged with vehicular homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, evading arrest, driving on a revoked license, violation of probation and being a habitual motor vehicle offender.

Tennessee Highway Patrol officers said Simmons stole a Cadillac in Coffee Coffee and sparked a high-speed police chase that ended when his vehicle slammed into the driver's side of a Nissan Altima driven by Jessica Campos, 28, of Murfreesboro around 4 p.m. Friday.

The victim's car went south on Highway 231 after being struck before landing off the highway, the report stated.

Campos died at the scene of the crash. An unidentified 7-month-old girl in her car was also hurt, the report said.

After striking Campos' vehicle, the Cadillac driven by Simmons went into the opposite lane and struck another vehicle head-on, then came to the stop off the roadway The driver of the third vehicle, Katrina Sadler, 27, was also hurt, the report stated.

The Manchester Times reported Simmons allegedly stolen the vehicle from the Coffee County Funeral Chapel and chase was given by the Coffee County Sheriff's Departmment. The pursuit traveled up Interstate 24 with the suspect traveling the wrong direction at times and at a high rate of speed.

The suspect exited the interstate in Murfreesboro.

Investigators believed Simmons was using drugs at the time of the crash, the report stated. Tests for Simmons' alcohol and drug levels were requested by state troopers, the report stated.

The suspect allegedly gave law enforcement a false name immediately after the crash, Plotzer said.

Simmons remained in jail Saturday morning on a bond of at least $127,500, according to jail records.

The conditions of Sadler and the infant injured in the wreck were not immediately known. Sadler was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, according to the THP report.






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High speed pursuit ends in 3-car crash, fatality; vehicular homicide charges filed

Posted on Friday, June 24, 2016 at 4:18 pm
 
By John Coffelt, staff writer

and Josh Peterson, publisher

Updated (8 a.m. June 25)

Charges of vehicular homicide have been filed against a Decherd man who led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit from Coffee County to Rutherford County Friday, eventually ending in a three-car collision and the death of a 28-year-old woman.


Garieon Simmons (photo from Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office)

Garieon Simmons, 28, was charged with vehicular homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, driving on a revoked license, evading arrest, violation of probation and being a habitual motor vehicle offender after being booked into the Rutherford County Jail Saturday.

Simmons allegedly stole a black Cadillac Escalade from the Coffee County Funeral Chapel in Manchester Friday afternoon, which started a high-speed chase by Coffee County Sheriff’s Department deputies and, eventually, Rutherford County officials. According to scanner traffic during the chase, Simmons on a couple of occasions traveled the wrong way down Interstate-24 and the chase reached extremely high speeds.

The chase ended when Simmons exited the Interstate in Murfreesboro and slammed into the driver’s side of a Nissan Altima operated by Jessica Campos, 28, of Murfreesboro. Campos was pronounced dead at the scene. A 7-month-old girl in the car was hurt, according to THP. Simmons’ vehicle also struck another vehicle head-on operated by Katrina Sadler, 27, who was also injured. The conditions of the 7-month old and Sadler were not available.


Photo from the crash scene Friday afternoon on Highway 231. (Photo provided by the Daily News Journal)

“There was a pursuit that was started in the city (Manchester) by a Coffee County Sheriff’s Department deputy who came to be engaged in a pursuit,” stated Manchester Police Department assistant chief Adam Floied. “Manchester (PD) helped guard the intersections until [the pursuit] got on the interstate.”

The pursuit was initiated by Coffee County Sheriff’s Department investigator Billy Marcom, according to CCSD public information officer Edward Lucky Knott. Floied said that Manchester units disengaged from pursuit once it went on Interstate-24. Rutherford County deputies engaged once the chase reached Rutherford County.

Manchester resident Rebecca Carroll and her children were traveling west on I-24 to Murfreesboro when the pursuit approached from behind in a scene she described as “confusing.”

“I was headed to Murfreesboro and all of a sudden this black SUV came flying up behind me,” Carroll explained. “I was in the left lane and a semi was beside me [in the right lane] and there was really heavy traffic. There really wasn’t anything we could do. I saw a lot of lights and police cars were going around us on both sides, some unmarked cars, they were going in the grass to get around traffic. You could tell that people didn’t know what to do. They were going to the right of us and to the left of us. Everyone just slammed on their brakes.

“I don’t know how there weren’t more wrecks where we were,” added Carroll. “It was scary. Look, I get it, I know they are trying to get the bad guy [who stole a car.] But at what cost? It isn’t like he was driving around shooting at people. If they would have slowed down, he would have slowed down.”

Crash investigators have requested alcohol and drug levels for Simmons. He remains jailed on $127,500.

Original Story

One person is dead and a suspect in custody after a high-speed chase that began in Manchester Friday afternoon ended with a head-on collision in Murfreesboro.

One person has been confirmed dead after the suspect collided head-on with a vehicle on Highway 231 in Murfreesboro, ending the two-county chase. The suspect, identified as a black male by Manchester Police Department assistant chief Adam Floied, was taken to a hospital and his condition has not been released.

Floied said that the vehicle being pursued was allegedly stolen from Coffee County Funeral Chapel on State Route 55 in Manchester.

“There was a pursuit that was started in the city by a Coffee County Sheriff’s Department deputy who came to be engaged in a pursuit,” stated Floied. “Manchester (PD) helped guard the intersections until [the pursuit] got on the interstate.”

The pursuit was initiated by Coffee County Sheriff’s Department investigator Billy Marcom, according to CCSD public information officer Edward Lucky Knott. Floied said that Manchester units disengaged from pursuit once it went on Interstate-24. Rutherford County deputies engaged once the chase reached Rutherford County.

Manchester resident Rebecca Carroll and her children were traveling west on I-24 to Murfreesboro when the pursuit approached from behind in a scene she described as “confusing.”

“I was headed to Murfreesboro and all of a sudden this black SUV came flying up behind me,” Carroll explained. “I was in the left lane and a semi was beside me [in the right lane] and there was really heavy traffic. There really wasn’t anything we could do. I saw a lot of lights and police cars were going around us on both sides, some unmarked cars, they were going in the grass to get around traffic. You could tell that people didn’t know what to do. They were going to the right of us and to the left of us. Everyone just slammed on their brakes.

“I don’t know how there weren’t more wrecks where we were,” added Carroll. “It was scary. Look, I get it, I know they are trying to get the bad guy [who stole a car.] But at what cost? It isn’t like he was driving around shooting at people. If they would have slowed down, he would have slowed down.”

The investigation into the theft of the vehicle is ongoing by Manchester City Police Department.

The currently unidentified subject at times traveled the wrong way down Highway 41 North and I-24 while evading police, according to Coffee County Communication scanner traffic.

Two other minor crashes were reported involving the fleeing subject.

(Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that MPD engaged when the pursuit entered I-24. The story should have reported that MPD “disengaged” when the pursuit entered I-24. We apologize for the error. )

A fire at a dairy farm in Westport, Mass. killed several cows and triggered a hazmat situation due to stockpiled fertilizer

 



Fire at dairy farm triggers hazmat situation in Westport
Several cows died in the fire
UPDATED 9:01 AM EDT Jun 25, 2016
 


WESTPORT, Mass. —A fire at a dairy farm in Westport triggered a hazmat situation Friday night.


Fire officials said the fire broke out just before 10:30 p.m. at the Ferry Dairy Farm on Gifford Road.


The fire started in a small barn and within minutes spread to two larger barns, with mounds of fertilizer in the fire’s path.


The fire was knocked down several hours later.


No one was injured, but several cows were killed in the fire.

2,400 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto County Highway J in WI after a tanker carrying the fuel became disconnected from the tractor that was pulling it.



6/24/2016 3:30:00 PM
Diesel fuel spill in Minocqua cleaned up rapidly
No injuries reported








Dean Hall/Lakeland Times


Workers at the cleanup site in the wetland area behind El Mez after a tanker became disconnected from a Ritchie Propane tractor Thursday morning.


Heather Holmes/Lakeland Times


The tanker that became disconnected from a Ritchie Propane and Oil tractor in the turn lane of County Highway J between U.S. Highway 51 and State Highway 47. That stretch of Hwy. J was closed until Thursday afternoon.





Brian Jopek
Reporter


Approximately 2,400 gallons of diesel fuel spilled onto the pavement of the right turn lane of County Highway J early Thursday morning after a tanker carrying the fuel became disconnected from the tractor that was pulling it.

That stretch of Hwy. J between U.S. Highway 51 and State Highway 47 remained closed for several hours as efforts to remove the trailer and tractor, belonging to Ritchie Propane and Oil of Minocqua, from the roadway, along with the initial cleanup of the fuel, progressed.

The diesel fuel made its way into storm sewers and the marshy area behind the El Mez Mexican restaurant.

The cleanup continued into the late hours Thursday night and all day Friday.

Andrew Savagian, with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, said Friday members of DNR staff were still working on exactly how much of the fuel was released to the environment but that workers at the scene estimated the majority of diesel fuel spilled had been recovered, including fuel that entered the storm sewer.

"Remaining product is contained in the boomed area within the wetland," he said. "Workers have been recovering diesel fuel throughout the night and morning and will continue through today, the weekend and next week if needed. It's too early to know exactly when cleanup will be complete."

Savagian said DNR staff have been on the scene to monitor the cleanup and will continue to do so.

"At this time, staff have not observed any fish kills or other impacts to wildlife and they do not believe any of the remaining product will reach Minocqua Lake," he said.

Dave Walz, a warden supervisor with the DNR's Woodruff office, echoed Savagian's comments.

He's made several trips to the cleanup sites and has met with workers with REI Engineering out of Wausau who have been involved in the cleanup.

"I was just out at the site here a little bit ago (Friday afternoon) and I met with some of the guys with REI," Walz said. "It sounds like they're progressing very well. Fortunately, we haven't had any rain so that's helping."

He said all the diesel fuel that had spilled into the storm sewer had been removed by Friday morning.

"That won't continue to flush back into the wetland area," Walz said. "So, now they're working on getting the diesel fuel out of the wetland. A lot of that's been taken care of. It's not the bright red anymore from the fuel. You can see a little bit of red, a light sheen on the water but not much. There's still some smells down there, of course. That was captured in the soil on the shoreline but they'll get that out as well. It looks like they're making some really good progress."

Walz said he anticipated the cleanup operation to wrap up in the next few days and then there would be a period of time for monitoring the area.

"In talking with REI, it sounds like they'll be monitoring into the near future," he said. "I think they'll continue to monitor for a little while just to make sure they got it all, probably after the next couple rain event or two."

Walz said this sort of thing was a constant occurrence when he was working in the field for the DNR in southern Wisconsin.

"It would be on the interstate or something like this," he said. "It's quite common, unfortunately. Sometimes, it'll be a car hitting the saddle tanks of a semi so it might be up to 100 gallons. Other times it's a rollover or something similar to this where it could be thousands of gallons. It happens. That's why it's good we have environmental companies that are trained to handle that."

Walz gave a lot of credit to the quick response from the Woodruff and Minocqua fire departments as well as the Oneida County Haz-Mat team.

"With their having enough boom to get out into the wetlands right away before the spill could get pushed out any further, it worked out very well," he said. "It could've been worse."



'It was just a freak accident'

The official report from the Wisconsin State Patrol regarding the disconnection of the tanker from the tractor pulling it was not available at press time.

However, Matt Ritchie said the driver of the Ritchie truck said a red car was pulling out of Packing Plant Road as the rig approached.

"It blew a stop sign, which caused our driver to lock up the brakes," he said.

Ritchie said that particular rig had been to Green Bay and back overnight and there were no issues on that trip at all.

However, he said, according to the Ritchie truck driver, as the driver was in the lane going onto Hwy. J, the red car, driven by a female, went through the stop sign.

"He locked up the brakes and that caused the kingpin to release from the fifth wheel," Ritchie said.

He said the company has been notified by Peterbilt, the manufacturer of the 2013 tractor, that there's the possibility of a recall for that year.

"We're not guaranteed that, we're not blaming it on that," he said. "We're not blaming anybody, we're not blaming ourselves ... it was just a freak accident. It probably couldn't have been preventable. We wish it could have been."

Ritchie said personnel with the Department of Transportation did a full inspection of the rig and no citations were issued.

He said what diesel fuel leaked out was not a full load in the tanker, which he said can carry a 5,000 gallon full load.

"The tank was about a quarter full," Ritchie said. "We did pump some out so we know it didn't drain completely, which is a good thing."

He said REI had been contacted by the company immediately and he was told Friday 60 percent of the spill had been cleaned up and that maybe 75 percent of it by the end of the day Friday.

"The other 25 percent will take about a week," Ritchie said. "They're running skimmers and field water separation."

He said the spill was contained within 90 minutes of the accident.

"We are working with the DNR in making sure the site is 100 percent the exact same as it was before," Ritchie said. "We're doing everything we possibly can."

5 people, including 2 children, are dead following a fiery, multi-vehicle crash on Highway 400 south of Sheppard Avenue, Toronto





A multi-vehicle crash on Highway 400 near Sheppard Avenue has claimed the lives of three adults and two children. (John Hanley)



5 dead, including 2 children, in multi-vehicle crash on Hwy. 400, Sheppard Avenue
3 transport trucks, 4 or 5 cars involved in crash, OPP says

By Errol Nazareth, CBC News Posted: Jun 24, 2016


 Five people, including two children, are dead following a fiery, multi-vehicle crash on Highway 400 south of Sheppard Avenue, Toronto paramedics say.
Jamie Rodgers, a deputy commander with Toronto Paramedics Service, could not provide the ages of the victims but said they were travelling in more than one vehicle.

He said two people, a woman and child, were transported to hospital with minor injuries.

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told CBC News that three transport trucks and four or five cars were involved in the crash.

"It's a mess," he said.

Schmidt said it's not clear how the collisions happened.

Captain Adrian Ratushniak of Toronto Fire Services told CBC that seven fire trucks were at the scene and that EMS had been advised to send multiple ambulances.


Five people, including two children, have died in a multi-vehicle crash on Highway 400 near Sheppard Avenue. (John Hanley)

The driver of an Eds Bread box truck was killed in a collison with tree in Kalamazoo County, MI


Eds Bread box truck involved in fatal crash

24 Hour News 8 web staff Published: June 25, 2016

  An Eds Bread box truck was involved in a crash that happened in Portage Saturday morning. (June 25, 2016)

SCHOOLCRAFT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — The driver of an Eds Bread box truck was killed in a crash that happened in Kalamazoo County Saturday morning.

The crash took place just before 7 a.m. on Portage Road north of West U Avenue in Schoolcraft Township.

According to authorities, the delivery truck ran off the side of the road, hit an unoccupied car in a driveway and then struck a tree. The driver was killed as a result of the crash.

Speed does not appear to be a factor in the crash.

The victim’s name is being withheld until family has been notified.

1 injured, diesel spilled, after a log truck and a dump truck collided head-on on the Clackamas Highway in Oregon






Head-on truck crash closes Highway 221 near Eagle Creek
By KATU.com Staff Friday, June 24th 2016

Photo from Clackamas County Fire Dept.




EAGLE CREEK, Ore. - A log truck and dump truck crashed head-on Friday afternoon on the Clackamas Highway near its intersection with Highway 221.

The crash happened around 2:20 p.m., spilling diesel, oil and a semi-trailer load of gravel onto the highway. The highway is expected to stay closed for several hours while crews work to clear the road.

One of the drivers has been taken to the hospital in a Life Flight helicopter, the Oregon Department of Transportation said.

Both drivers had climbed out of their semi truck before emergency crews arrived on-scene. No word from officials on the extent of their injuries.

Drivers are asked to avoid the area and find alternate routes.

This is a developing story; updates will be posted as information comes in.

Female driver killed after striking tree in Anderson Co., SC



Woman killed in Anderson Co. crash (source: iWitness) 


ANDERSON, SC (FOX Carolina) -

Updated: Jun 24, 2016 10:12 PM EST
By Sierra Hancock
 

 An Anderson County driver struck a tree and was ejected from her vehicle resulting in her death Friday afternoon.

Troopers report that twenty-five-year-old Lindsay Davis of Belton was traveling North on Centerville Rd. when she lost control of her Honda SUV and drove off of the road, striking a tree. She was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and suffered massive head trauma following the accident, the coroner said.

Davis was transported by Life Flight to AnMed where she was pronounced dead around 2:45 p.m. according to the report.

She leaves behind three children, ages 2,3 and 8 years old.

General cargo vessel SIMONE and product tanker PATANI collided west of Fehmarn Belt


SIMONE vs. PATANI, Baltic

June 25, 2016 at 09:04 by Mikhail Voytenko


General cargo vessel SIMONE and product tanker PATANI collided in the evening June 23 west of Fehmarn Belt, between Germany’s Fehmarn Island and Danish Lolland Island. Vessels were moving on crossing courses – SIMONE was sailing in northern direction from Kiel to Nakskov, Denmark, PATANI was sailing in east direction, en route from Kalundborg, Denmark, to Swinoujscie, Poland.


Understood both vessels suffered damages, extent unknown. No spill reported so far. SIMONE after collision continued voyage and docked in Nakskov, PATANI was anchored near collision site. At 0900 UTC June 25 vessels were in the same position.

Bulk carrier WESER STAHL suffered engine failure on Weser at Blexen and allided with ferry pier


Bulk carrier WESER STAHL

June 24, 2016 at 12:32 by Mikhail Voytenko


Bulk carrier WESER STAHL suffered engine failure at 0245 LT June 24 on Weser at Blexen, opposite from Bremerhaven, while proceeding up the river to Bremen. 


Disabled vessel allided with Blexen ferry pier, which was heavily damaged. Bulk carrier was taken to Strom Quay in Bremerhaven, and docked there for survey. Vessel reportedly suffered slight damage. 





Ferry SAKHALIN-9 allided with docked brand-new offshore tug KATUN; it then run aground in Sakhalin Island


Ferry SAKHALIN-9 allision and grounding

June 23, 2016 at 12:48 by Mikhail Voytenko


Ferry SAKHALIN-9 at around 1400 LT June 23, while maneuvering to dock in Kholmsk port, Sakhalin Island, allided with, or contacted, docked brand-new offshore tug KATUN . After contact, ferry ran aground on a gravel schoal, quickly refloated by own means, and anchored on a road for survey. No damages reported. Ferry is serving Vanino – Kholmsk line.

A Polish captain was fined with 25,000 Danish crowns at the court in Hjørring for sailing the "Tonic Sea" under the influence of alcohol.

Friday, 24 June 2016 13:24
Captain fined for drunken sailing Written by AdminSailor



A Polish captain was fined with 25,000 Danish crowns at the court in Hjørring for sailing the
"Tonic Sea" under the influence of alcohol. 

The captain was at the helm of the "Tonic Sea" on Sep 29, 2015, when the bulker was leaving Hirtshals. In connection with the navigation he contacted navy staff which suspected that the captain was alcoholized. 

A patrol from the North Jutland Police boarded a boat of the Hirtshals Rescue Station which sailed out to the ship, and the suspicion of drunken navigation was well founded for the captain had such a high alcohol level that he was arrested and taken ashore. 

The ship was then stopped and banned from sailing. The shipping company NSC Holding GmbH & Cie. in Hamburg subsequently sent a new crew and captain before the ship could continue to its destination, the container terminal UST-Luga. 

The captain was not present in court, but had, according to prosecutor Ingrid Munch Hansen, consented that the trial could continue without his presence. One of the witnesses was the officer in charge of Marine Staff who had received the call from the captain.

He was convicted on the basis of the witnesses' explanation and an established blood alcohol level of 1.33 per thousand, after which the fine was determined.

D.G. Yuengling and Son, Inc. Brewery Clean Water Act Settlement with US EPA


D.G. Yuengling and Son, Inc. Clean Water Act Settlement

(Washington, DC - June 23, 2016) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Justice today announced that D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc., has settled Clean Water Act (CWA) violations involving its two large-scale breweries near Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

Settlement Resources

Reference News Release
Consent Decree

On this page:

Overview
Violations
Injunctive Relief
Pollutant Impacts
Health and Environmental Effects
Civil Penalty
Comment Period
Contact
Overview

D.G. Yuengling and Son, Inc. (Yuengling) is a Pennsylvania company founded in 1829 as Eagle Brewery. It changed its name to D.G. Yuengling and Son, Inc. in 1873. It is a privately held company in the business of manufacturing and distributing beer and related products. Yuengling primarily sells through distributors in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. It has manufacturing plants/breweries in Pottsville, Pennsylvania and Tampa, Florida.



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Violations

Yuengling owns and operates two beer breweries (the New Brewery and the Old Brewery) in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, which have been in significant non-compliance with the Clean Water Act because of persistent violations of application industrial wastewater discharge permits over the past 10 years. Despite enforcement by the publicly owned treatment works (POTW), which is operated by the Greater Pottsville Area Sanitary Authority (GPASA), and administrative enforcement by EPA, Yuengling had failed to take the steps necessary to comply with its Industrial User (IU) Permits that provide pretreatment requirements for discharges to the POTW.

The noncompliance addressed in the proposed consent decree includes numerous discharge limit violations of its IU Permits between 2008 and 2015. It also includes violations involving failures to submit required monitoring reports and comply with monitoring and reporting requirements at both breweries and to take all required samples at both breweries. In total, EPA identified 141 IU permit violations, which are referenced in the complaint and will be resolved by the consent decree.



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Injunctive Relief

EPA is requiring significant injunctive relief in the consent decree, including environmental audits and multi-facility environmental management system requirements for both of the breweries, construction of a comprehensive biological treatment system at the Old Brewery, and implementation of enhancements to the existing pretreatment system at the New Brewery. The injunctive relief is expected to improve the company’s compliance with the Clean Water Act, resulting in fewer discharges of effluent with permit limit exceedances to rivers and streams. The cost of the required injunctive relief is estimated to be $7 million.

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Pollutant Impacts

The pollutants at issue in this case include biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), phosphorous, zinc and pH (both high and low). High BOD loadings interfere with the microorganisms in the POTW that neutralize the pollutants, which can significantly impair the POTW’s effectiveness. When wastewater containing BOD and high pH passes through the POTW, it can overload the treatment plant, impacting the ability of the plant to adequately process the waste. Also, high pH can cause damage to the sewer infrastructure, as acidic waste can corrode pipes and other sewer structures, such as pumps.

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Health Effects and Environmental Benefits

When the required injunctive relief is implemented, the proposed decree will help reduce the risk to the POTW treatment facilities, and thereby reduce the risk of exposure of surrounding communities to pollutants that can significantly impair streams and watersheds.

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Civil Penalty

The negotiated civil penalty to be paid by defendants is $2.8 million.

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Comment Period

The proposed settlement, lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. Information on submitting comments is available at the Department of Justice website.

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For More Information, Contact:

Douglas Frankenthaler
Assistant Regional Counsel
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
(215) 814-2472
​frankenthaler.douglas@epa.gov

2 killed after a Robinson R66 helicopter crashed and burned in Maricopa County south of Wikieup, Arizona



FAA: Two dead in helicopter crash near Wikieup
abc15.com staff
8:00 AM, Jun 24, 2016






KNXV

WIKIEUP, Ariz. - Officials say two men are dead after a helicopter crash near Wikieup on Thursday.
The FAA says the Robinson R66 helicopter had two people on board, heading to Riverside, Calif. from Prescott.

The aircraft was reported overdue when it failed to arrive at the destination.

Mohave County Sheriff's Office says one of the victim's cell phones was tracked to an area north of Alamo Lake near Wikieup.

Search crews found the wreckage early Friday morning. The helicopter had reportedly burned up after the crash and the two occupants were found dead.

Their identities have not yet been released.

The NTSB and FAA are looking into the cause of the crash.

Stay with ABC15 for updates.



Copyright 2016 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


==========================================

Date:

23-JUN-2016
Time: Afternoon
Type:
Robinson R66
Owner/operator: Zions Credit Corp
Registration: N117TW
C/n / msn: 0042
Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Maricopa County, near Wikieup, north of Aguila, AZ - United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport: Love Field (KPRC)
Destination airport: Riverside Muni (KRAL)
Narrative:
The aircraft, subject of an Alert Notice (ALNOT), impacted desert terrain in Maricopa County south of Wikieup, Arizona. The helicopter was consumed by the post-impact fire and the two occupants onboard received fatal injuries.
Sources:
http://www.abc15.com/news/state/faa-helicopter-crashes-near-wikieup-on-thursday
http://www.azfamily.com/story/32300772/2-dead-after-helicopter-crash-near-wikieup
http://www.asias.faa.gov/pls/apex/f?p=100:95:0::NO::P95_EVENT_LCL_DATE,P95_LOC_CITY_NAME,P95_REGIST_NBR:24-JUN-16,AGUILA,N117TW
https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N117TW

http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000914430.html
http://www.robinsonheli.com/rhc_r66_turbine.html

BICYCLISTS CONTINUE TO DIE ON THE DEADLY U.S. ROADS: bicyclist killed after being hit by SUV in Oxnard, CA


Officials identify bicyclist killed after being hit by SUV in Oxnard

JOHN SCHIEBE/THE STAR A bicyclist was killed in Oxnard on Friday after being hit by an SUV. The SUV swerved to the other side of Lakehurst Street toppling a large magnolia tree.

Updated: Yesterday, June 24, 2016 at 9:08 p.m.



By John Scheibe

An Oxnard teen was arrested Friday after a crash involving an SUV and a bicycle left one man dead on a neighborhood street just south of West Gonzales Road.

The 17-year-old was arrested on suspicion of fleeing the scene of an accident, Oxnard Police Department Senior Officer Jamie Brown said as he stood across the street from a mangled bicycle. Brown said the teen could face other charges.

Brown said the bicyclist was struck by the sport utility vehicle shortly after 7 a.m. near the intersection of Lakehurst Street and Janetwood Drive. He was taken to Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, where he later died, authorities said.

Deputy Medical Examiner Bryce Elder identified the victim as Gregory Dominguez, 42, of Oxnard. Elder said an autopsy was performed on Dominguez and determined the cause of death was blunt-force trauma. The manner of death was an accident, Elder said.

After the crash with Dominguez, the SUV continued and knocked down numerous mailboxes along the right side of Lakehurst Street as it traveled south, police said. Before coming to a stop, it then veered to the opposite side of Lakehurst, knocking over a large magnolia tree, according to accounts of the incident.

The vehicle hit Dominguez with enough force that he was flung 15 to 20 feet in front of where his bicycle came to rest along the curb, police said. The bicycle's front wheel was sheared off, and its rider's hat was nearby, as was a blanket neighbors had placed on the man as they waited for an ambulance.

Kathleen Gransee and others who live in the area said the SUV's driver ran from the scene after the crash. Brown said the teen was taken into custody a short distance away.

The teen was taken to Ventura County Medical Center and later arrested, police said. Alcohol or drugs may have been factors in the crash, police said.

The SUV, which remained at the scene hours after the crash, is registered to a member of the teen's family, Brown said.

Accidents along that section of Lakehurst are sadly far too common, Gransee said.

"Cars come flying down this street all the time," she said as workers used a wood chipper to grind up the toppled tree.

"Had school been in session, this could have been much worse," Gransee's neighbor Traci McMurray said as she looked south toward Fremont Middle School.

"Kids use this street all the time to walk to and from school," McMurray said.

Fortunately, the school closed for summer vacation last week, the women said.

Both women said they've been telling city officials for years how dangerous the street is, to little avail.

Motorists often end up on Lakehurst by going south on Lantana Street and then taking a right on Lodgewood Way, which curves to the south and turns into Lakehurst, Gransee said.

"Once they're on Lakehurst, they really step on the gas pedal," said Gransee, who lives on the corner of Lakehurst and Janetwood Drive next to where the bicyclist was killed.

"We've asked for speed bumps, we've asked for stop signs — anything to get cars to slow down," she said. "We've gotten nothing from the city."

Gransee said she was especially upset after seeing speed bumps installed in another Oxnard neighborhood.

Joining Gransee as she spoke were other neighbors, including Jon Davis, who lives down Janetwood Drive.

Davis said his day began with a startle after he heard some loud noises.

He said: "I thought, 'What is going on?' "

Dick Maulhardt Jr., whose Lakehurst house is in front of where the bicyclist was killed, told a similar story.

"At first, I thought the noise had come from the backyard," he said. After finding nothing there, he said he looked out his front window, where he saw the damaged bicycle and the victim on the sidewalk.

Paramedics were called immediately, Maulhardt said, and performed CPR on the man. He said the man did not move while paramedics worked on him.

"I don't know if he'd already died or not," Maulhardt said.

Gransee and McMurray plan to continue the quest to get the city to slow traffic.

"It's tragic that this had to cost someone their life," Gransee said. "I'm hoping that now something might finally get done."

1 seriously injured after a boom truck overturned in Oxnard, California striking a truck mounted aerial work platform



Worker seriously injured after crane, boom truck tip over in Oxnard

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED/OXNARD FIRE DEPARTMENT Emergency crews responded to a tipped over construction crane and boom truck in Oxnard Monday afternoon.

Posted: June 20, 2016
 


By Alysson Aredas, alysson.aredas@vcstar.com

Emergency crews were in Oxnard Monday afternoon working to remove a construction crane and boom truck after they both tipped over and left one worker with a serious head injury, officials said.

The Oxnard Fire Department responded to the scene about 11 a.m. after a medium sized construction crane that was attempting to lift a power pole into the backyard of a residence on Elder Street failed and tipped over, officials said.

During its collapse, officials said the crane hit the arm of a boom truck that was being used as part of the operation, causing it to also fail and the bucket of the truck to swing.

Officials said that a man who was in the bucket of the boom truck did not fall to the ground since he was wearing a harness, but he still sustained a serious head injury. He was later transferred to Ventura County Medical Center.

Cal/OSHA responded to the scene after the incident to conduct an investigation. Officials said that once that is completed, the crane will be removed from the site.

==================================================

Crane hits boom lift

June 21, 2016
A boom truck overturned in Oxnard, California yesterday striking a truck mounted aerial work platform, seriously injuring its occupant.

The crane was lifting a power pole into the backyard of a house when it appears to have over reached itself and overturned. The crane’s boom then struck the upper boom of the aerial lift, fortunately the man working from the platform was harnessed in and remained in the platform which remained elevated and intact, however he did suffer a serious head injury from the impact of the crane boom and was rushed to hospital where he was said to be in a serious, but stable condition.

Cal/OSHA arrived at the scene, shortly after it was reported, in order to carry out an investigation.



The overturned boom truck and the damaged truck mounted aerial work platform

Coast Guard rescues 2 fishermen from disabled vessel near Cordova, Alaska


AK, UNITED STATES

06.24.2016

Video by Petty Officer 1st Class Kelly Parker 

U.S. Coast Guard District 17

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Forward Operating Location Cordova rescues two fishermen approximately 17 miles southwest of Cordova, Alaska, June 24, 2016. 

The two fishermen were on the 26-foot fishing vessel Sunrise when it became disabled and adrift near Strawberry Channel. U.S. Coast Guard video.

1 dead, 1 critical in Garden State Parkway crash in Atlantic Co., NJ after car plummeted off the Mullica bridge








State police and dive teams pulled two people from marshy waters off the Garden State Parkway, but one of the victims did not survive.





Updated 5 mins ago
PORT REPUBLIC, N.J. (WPVI) -- State police and dive teams pulled two people from marshy waters off the Garden State Parkway, but one of the victims did not survive.

The crash happened around 1:30 a.m. Saturday on the Mullica Bridge in Port Republic, New Jersey.

Police say a driver lost control and plummeted off the bridge.

It took crews about three hours to pull the driver and passenger out of the water.

One person died and was pronounced dead, and the other victim is in critical condition.

Motorists should expect delay southbound on the Garden State Parkway at the crash site.


DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE TO STAY ALIVE
DO NOT SPEED AND DRIVE TO STAY ALIVE
DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE TO STAY ALIVE

Independent testing uncovers unsafe levels of lead at public water fountains found at popular destinations in Chicago


I-Team lead testing results prompt city action





Independent testing by the ABC7 I-Team uncovers unsafe levels of lead at public water fountains found at popular destinations, prompting the city to take action. (WLS)



By Jason Knowles and Ann Pistone
Friday, June 24, 2016 10:19PM
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Independent testing by the ABC7 I-Team uncovers unsafe levels of lead at public water fountains found at popular destinations, prompting the city to take action.

The I-Team tested 11 water fountains along the lake and at the Lincoln Park Zoo after repeated questions about the Park District's plan to test for lead went unanswered. Three samples came back positive.

The elephant drinking fountain at the Lincoln Park Zoo tested high for lead in water, 19 parts per billion - above the Safe Drinking Water Act contaminant level. The zoo shut it down, turning off the water Friday after the I-Team told them and the Chicago Park District about the test results.

"This is my child. It's more important than anything," says Charles Noid of the fountain's shutdown.

At the fountain near Montrose Avenue along the Lake Shore Trail the water tested high for lead. The results were 15 parts per billion.

"I use the drinking fountains along the trail often but I'm going to have to think twice," says Jacob Gowin.

As of Friday afternoon the water was shut off.

The lakefront and zoo are both popular destinations for families. Children are especially susceptible to lead poisoning because their bodies absorb metals at a greater rate. High levels of lead can cause low IQ, shorter attention span and lower performance in school.

The third water fountain that tested positive for lead is next to the children's park just south of McCormick Place. This result fell below the federal Environmental Protection Agency's "action" limit, meaning no action such as replacing the lead service lines, is required. Water is still flowing out of that fountain as of Friday afternoon.

In May, the I-Team tested a dozen drinking fountains in Cook County and the suburbs. The fountain at the Olympic Park District facility tested positive for lead, but also fell below the EPA action limit.

At that time, the Chicago Park District said its own test showed results "blow the laboratory reporting limits." They did, however, say they wuld test water at more facilities and launch a program, but wouldn't' answer the I-Team's questions about it.

The Park District refused to be interviewed on camera Friday, but issued a statement saying: "Out of an abundance caution the Chicago Park District has disabled two drinking fountains. According to lab reports provided by ABC 7, the two have detectable levels just below the EPA's action level. The Chicago Park District will conduct its own testing, and determine if further action is warranted."

The EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say there is no safe level of exposure to lead.

The I-Team's testing yielded another result: answers from the Park District about their pilot program to test water. They said they are testing 60 field house fountains in parks citywide.

As for the tests conducted on behalf of the I-Team, a certified lab in Naperville was used and all EPA guidelines were followed.

EPA: GUIDE FOR SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE FACILITIES

EPA: ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE TO REDUCE LEAD IN DRINKING WATER