MEC&F Expert Engineers : 07/20/16

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Worker Injured After Falls Down Elevator Shaft at Queens Construction Site



 
A worker was injured after falling down an elevator shaft at a construction site at 31-16 Linden Place in Flushing Tuesday afternoon. 
DNAinfo/Chris Sommerfeldt






By Ben Fractenberg and Chris Sommerfeldt | July 19, 2016 2:47pm | Updated on July 19, 2016 4:24pm 

 
 QUEENS, NY — A worker was injured after falling down an elevator shaft at a Flushing construction site Tuesday afternoon, according to fire officials.

The 23-year-old man plunged down the shaft from the second floor of the five-story building currently under construction at 31-16 Linden Place at about 1:40 p.m., an FDNY spokesman and NYPD spokeswoman said.

He suffered bruising to his neck and leg but was conscious and alert after the fall, according to officials.

The worker was taken to New York Hospital Queens, where he was listed in stable condition.

A worker at a car wash next door said he heard "something like an explosion" when the man fell.

"He had his neck covered in a brace," said the 45-year-old worker, Jose M. "He was bleeding from his neck."

Inspectors from the Department of Buildings were called to the construction site after the incident, according to the agency's website.

A construction worker injured after he fell 20 feet down a manhole in Phoenix, AZ






(Photo: Alexis Egeland/The Republic)

Construction worker falls 20 feet down Phoenix manhole
Alexis Egeland, The Republic | azcentral.com 


9:50 a.m. MST July 20, 2016

 A construction worker fell 20 feet into a manhole Wednesday morning, and Phoenix Fire Department rescue units worked for more than an hour to extract him, fire officials said.

The man, 31, was conscious and had suffered minor injuries after the fall at Third Avenue and Indian School Road, according to Capt. Reda Bigler, Phoenix Fire Department spokeswoman. He was complaining of back pain but was in stable condition, she said.

The man was transported to a hospital for treatment.



A construction worker fell 20 feet into this manhole on July 20, 2016, according to the Phoenix Fire Department. (Photo: Phoenix Fire Department)

A construction worker fell down a manhole near Third Avenue and Indian School Road on July 20, 2016. (Photo: Alexis Egeland/The Republic)

Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting, Forensics, and Environmental Remediation Services. Construction, Investigation, Remediation and Forensic Expert Engineers


Construction Defects, Construction Claims, Engineering, Property & Casualty Investigations, Assessment, Site Investigation, Remediation, Litigation and Indoor-Air Expert Engineers

Bill Stephan, PhD, PE, CIH, CHMM, JD, MBA
Principal Engineer

P.O. Box 520
Tenafly, New Jersey 07670-0520
Phone: (973) 897-8162
Fax: (973) 810-0440



__________________________________________________



Firm Overview


The engineering and forensic firm of Metropolitan Forensics and Consulting Engineering and Environmental Services was established for the purpose of providing a high value service to the insurance industry and to the insured companies or individuals. Our founding principal (Bill Stephan) is a licensed professional engineer in several states, including, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.



We specialize in the in-situ remediation of petroleum and chlorinated spills, the defense of liability claims, the investigation and defense of first or third party insurance claims and the handling of subrogation claims.  We are also experts on oil and gas energy sector issues (design, investigations, construction oversight), renewable energy sector (wind turbines, solar panels, biofuels, etc), vapor intrusion evaluation, vapor phase and transport and in design on vapor mitigation systems.  Additionally, we offer forensic engineering services, including age-dating of contaminant releases, construction defects, oversight, evaluation of remedial alternatives, sub-slab ventilation system design and installation.  The list of our core services is:



  • Cause and Origin Investigations
  • Construction Failure Analysis (Residential, Industrial and Commercial)
  • Structural Integrity Evaluation
  • Site Investigation
  • Tank removals and tank installations; licensed and insured to perform entire UST work
  • In-Situ Remediation of Soil and Groundwater
  • Vapor intrusion, indoor air evaluation and mitigation
  • Causation
  • Forensic Investigations (age-dating)
  • Oversight
  • Review of Remedial Action Work Plans
  • Reserve Estimation
  • Cost Allocation
  • RAWP Preparation
  • Site Remediation
  • Cleanup Level Development and Negotiation
  • Subrogation
  • Expert Witness/Litigation Support
  • Licensed Site Remediation Professional (LSRP) Services
  • Construction Claims (Delay, Differing Site Conditions, Loss of Productivity, Acceleration, and others)

 





















Additional Specialty Service Areas

Age Dating
Boilers & Burners
Bridges
Building Codes
Building Inspections


Construction Accident
   Reconstruction
Construction Defects
Construction Delay Claims

Construction Surety Claims
Construction Disputes
Construction Differing Condition Claims
Construction Oversight
Construction Management
Construction Acceleration Claims

Construction Failures
Construction Injuries
Contractor Performance Issues
Corrosion


Defective Designs
Defective Roadway Design
   Evaluations


Earthquake
Electrical Accidents/Injuries
Electrical Equipment Failures
Electrical Fires
Elevators, Escalators
   & Conveyors
Embedded Software Hazards
   & Analysis
Equipment Failures
Errors and Omissions
Explosions

Failure Analysis
Fire
Fire Codes
Fire Protection Systems
Fire Suppression Systems

Flood Damage Assessment

Foundation Systems

Gas Systems

Hailstorm damage

Heating & Ventilation Systems
Heavy Construction
Highway/Roadway Design
Human Factors


Indoor Air Quality
Laboratory Services
Ladders, Scaffolding Falls
   & Failures
Lightning

Mechanical Defect Evaluations
Metallurgical Age Dating
Mold Causation
Natural Disasters/Weather
   Related Issues
Nuclear Energy
Occupational Hazards
   & Illness

Piping
Playground Equipment Injuries
Plumbing
Product Failures
Roofing Problems & Failures
Safety Codes
Safety & Human Factors
   Engineering
Scalding
Scene Mapping and Photographs
Sick Building Syndrome
Sports Equipment Injuries
Standardized Codes
Steam Systems
Subrogation Issues


Transportation Issues
Trips, Slips & Falls
Underground Storage Tanks
Utilities Expertise
Vibration
Water Damage
Windstorm



Mission Statement


Our mission is to work as an extension of our clients to expeditiously achieve the most economically favorable resolution of claims on their behalf and on behalf of their insured. We have developed and will continue to create new solutions to the technical problems and issues which are facing the insurance industry and the insureds today.  

Metropolitan provides forensic engineering work (age-dating or fingerprinting), site remediation, auditing, cost control and litigation support services to insurance carriers, their insureds and to private or public companies.  In its risk management role, examines, manages and audits environmental claims to ensure that assessment and remediation services provided to both carriers and policy holders are reasonable and necessary, properly rendered and appropriately charged. 



In its litigation support role, Metropolitan assists carriers and their counsel to ensure that litigious disputes are resolved fairly and reimbursement benefits are provided when appropriate.  The corporations service area includes the entire United States, with our corporate office located in Northern New Jersey.  The Firm's professional staff also travels regularly throughout the United States on assignment.


Forensics at Metropolitan


There are many issues associated with disputes over responsibility for cleanup. Who, what, when, where, and how chemicals were released can be investigated. The tools of forensic investigation include mathematical models, statistical models, fate and transport calculations, chromatography, lead isotope analyses, time of travel assessments, library search site characterization, tracer additives, and recently developed software applications.



Effective forensic project management should include an evaluation of multiple forensic tools based on site specific circumstances. The process of evaluation and the ultimate selection of the forensic tool are critical to a successful outcome. When project budgets allow, combining forensic methods for corroborative evidence can substantially strengthen your client’s position in an effort to prevent or support litigation. The effective forensic consultant must be well acquainted with an ever expanding list of analytical methods, environmental regulations, assessment procedures and remedial technologies.



The forensic field is one that utilizes a wide range of scientific tools to identify and characterize complex adverse environmental events. Some of the scientific disciplines involved in forensics include engineering principles (biological, physical and chemical), hydrology, lithology, geology, site history, site practices, mathematics, and statistics. These areas may be combined with technologies such as respiratory analyses, chromatography/mass spectrometry and chemical fingerprinting methods to answer complex questions with the ultimate goal of establishing responsibility for a particular event. Accurate, defensible forensic analyses are an essential component of any strategy that attempts to resolve the extent of the insurer or insured client responsibilities in the cleanup of contaminants.


Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our forensic services.



Property Damage Services at Metropolitan

Metropolitan assists property owners, claims professionals, businesses, and attorneys in   the assessment of the cause & origin (C&O), extent of damage and required restoration after pipe bursts, settlements, manufacturing and construction failures, fire, flood, earthquake, or storm damage.  Our teams of engineers have extensive experience in the many systems that make up a building including structural, mechanical and electrical systems.   We also have the necessary background to evaluate property damage to items such as communications towers or solar panels. We can help determine alternative, appropriate, and cost effective solutions for repair or restoration of any damaged property, both commercial and residential. 

Providing Competent, Expert and Objective Investigative Engineering and Consulting Services.

Our experts are multi-skilled, competent, and objective professionals who apply their analytical and common sense skills to reconstruct, determine the root cause, and document the events that give rise to property, casualty, and liability claims.  Thorough investigations and detailed measurements/research help us distinguish between pre-existing conditions and sudden and accidental losses.



 






























Our investigations are:

·         Comprehensive & Accurate

·         Legible & Easy to Understand

·         Timely Performed

·         Delivered Quickly

·         Cost Effective

·         Clear & Concise

·         Developed by Professionals

·         Dependable

·         Our own uniform reporting system saves time and money.


Our Fast Track Investigation and Uniform Format Reporting systems allow us to conduct and deliver a comprehensive response to the assigned claim.  In most cases, we will obtain findings based on a site visit, visual observations, photographs, interviews, and field measurements.  Further investigations and testing will be provided upon request and approval by the client.



Forensic Investigation of Property Damage Claims

Metropolitan Consulting, Engineering & Forensics understands your need to complete a claim investigation accurately and efficiently as possible.  Whether it is accident reconstruction, damage due to environmental forces such as wind, water, hail, snow, tornado, etc.; fire origin & cause investigation or any other claim, the engineers at Metropolitan understand both you and your client want to resolve the claim.  The analysis you receive from Metropolitan will be accurate and complete, giving you the information needed in the claim adjustment and analysis.

Our services have extended beyond the forensic analysis phase into the remediation and repair phase of many large loss claims.  Upon the completion of the cause and origin (C&O) investigation, Metropolitan can provide our clients with complete working drawings and specifications needed to repair or rebuilt damaged buildings or other structures.  Metropolitan Consulting & Engineering’ staff possesses many-many years of experience in rehabilitation design, construction management, and project oversight to ensure the loss is restored in a timely and cost-effective manner without sacrificing quality.  Building code knowledge allows us to identify possible code upgrades as needed.  Metropolitan understands constructability and realizes making an insured whole goes beyond forensic investigation and design. We pride ourselves in providing practical solutions contractors can understand and follow.

At the forefront of available technology, we provide professionals and staff capable of handling a variety of engineering evaluations.  Our reports are clear, concise, complete and efficiently produced.  Our engineering objectives are achieved in an ethical manner consistent with the traditions and character of engineering professionals.

Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our property damage services.


Extensive Experience helping Sureties

Metropolitan also has extensive experience helping sureties fulfill their bond obligations resolve disputes after a contractor has defaulted.  This work includes the evaluation of contractor bid pricing, evaluation of the contractor’s ability to perform work, risk assessment, evaluation of termination, construction completion services, claim and litigation support services, loss recovery services, evaluation of payment bond claims, negotiation and settlement of payment bond claims, and construction defects investigation services.  Metropolitan has provided these services for commercial, development, educational, and assisted living projects.


Construction is a business fraught with risk.  Disputes over even the smallest of issues can quickly escalate, with crippling consequences to the project and the parties.  Over the years, the construction industry has developed various methods of contractually allocating the risk of project delay and disruption.  Some of these methods include liquidated damages provisions, "no damages for delay" clauses, mutual waivers of consequential damages, provisions that limit liability, claims notice provisions, and provisions addressing responsibility for the adequacy of the construction plans and specifications.  Parties frequently litigate the sufficiency of these risk-shifting efforts in conjunction with the underlying merits of delay and disruption disputes.
Construction Claims & Disputes
The most frequently encountered claims include:
1.            Construction Delay Claims
2.            Disruption and Loss of Labor Productivity Claims
3.            Design and Construction Defect Claims
4.            Force Majeure Claims
5.            Acceleration or Compression of the Schedule Claims
6.            Suspension, Termination and Default Claims
7.            Differing Site Conditions Claims
8.            Change Order and Extra Work Claims
9.            Cost Overrun Claims
10.         Unacceptable Workmanship or Substituted Material Claims
11.         Non-payment Claims (stop notice (or Notice to Withhold) claims, mechanics’ lien (only for private construction projects) and payment bond claims)



Forensic Engineering Experience Case Studies


Metropolitan staff has developed and utilized scientific methods to assist clients in a variety of ways related to their claim issues. The following is a partial list of such projects:

  • Provided expert witness services for plaintiff seeking remediation of contaminated groundwater that caused indoor air inhalation problems;
  • Testified that engineering and scientific evidence was improperly collected and analyzed and was inadequate to show the age of the release;
  • Origin and cause of retaining wall failures.  
  • Lightning damage to structures or electrical systems and equipment
  • Roof failure or collapse as a result of accumulated load, additional weight and snow drift at hundreds of commercial and residential properties.
  • Demonstrated that solvents in groundwater at client's property originated from off-site dry-cleaner and that client's site actually provided remediation for the off-site release of dry cleaning solvent;
  • Expert witness for property owner impacted by industrial waste disposal from industrial manufacturer;
  • Demonstrated that environmental analysis by a previous consultant for a manufacturing site was inadequate; as a result, the lender's concerns were alleviated and financing proceeded;
  • Chemical "age-dating" and contaminant transport analyses of petroleum in groundwater at a gas station showed that contaminants originated from other parties;
  • Age-dated petroleum release at a former gas station to show that the previous owner of the gas station caused groundwater contamination;
  • Age-dated petroleum releases at an industrial facility to show that the on-site plume was the result of an off-site source;
  • Prepared age-dating reports for over one-hundred residential fuel oil spills;
  • Assisted insurance companies attorneys in defending subrogation claims; was able to demonstrate that the forensic data collected by the first party consultant were collected and analyzed using invalid methods;
  • Demonstrated that structural damage to a residence was from a source other than the alleged high lake level
  • Collected evidence (for the primary responsible party) that identified other responsible parties to share in the cost of a Superfund cleanup;
  • Review of the site data at a bulk petroleum facility indicated that the site releases were not the result of regular oil transfer operations and that they were caused by the negligent actions of the insured’s agents; the case was settled in favor of the insurance company;
  • Was able to demonstrate that the majority of the removal actions at petroleum release sites were neither reasonable nor necessary; as a result of our opinion, the insurance client settled the claim in favorable terms;
  • At several drycleaner sites we were able to demonstrate that the age of the release was much earlier than the parties originally believed; as a result, the insurance client settled the claim at a fraction of the alleged liability;
  • We performed numerous flood and wind damage assessments at commercial and residential properties.
Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our forensic engineering services.




Site Remediation Services


 Characterizing and remediating contaminated sites involve some of the most complex and difficult issues for environmental lawyers and their clients. Problem areas include responding to regulators; negotiating enforcement settlements; negotiating or litigating cost allocation and recovery claims; working with the insured or insurer client, lawyers and regulators to develop efficient, cost-effective remediation approaches; and selling, buying, or developing contaminated properties.



Metropolitan staff has developed and applied an innovative approach to the use of sodium persulfate for the sequential in-situ treatment of subsurface contaminants through chemical oxidation followed by enhanced biological degradation through sulfate reduction. This approach has broad applicability to a wide range of contaminants, and shows strong cost-saving benefits through reducing the initial volume of chemical oxidant necessary and enhancing the in-situ biological degradation of contaminants.



Through proper subsurface geochemical characterization and chemical dosing design, the approach focuses on utilizing the oxidant for immediate mass reduction at the source area, followed by degradation or polishing of the residual contamination using sulfate reducing bacteria.  Depending upon the oxidant activation method, this approach is applicable to petroleum hydrocarbons including both volatiles and PAHs, chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs) including chlorinated ethene, ethane and methane groups, as well as PCBs.


Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our Site Remediation Services.





Vapor Intrusion and Indoor-Air Studies


Vapor intrusion has received increased attention over the last few years near contaminated sites because some contaminants have the potential to migrate into nearby buildings and negatively affect indoor air quality. The accumulation of these volatile vapors in buildings can result in significant safety and health concerns.
To properly evaluate vapor intrusion a thorough evaluation of the building's ventilation system and subsurface conditions needs to be conducted by a knowledgeable professional in accordance with state and federal established procedures. 
The evaluation process typically includes a thorough building chemical inventory, the advancement of soil gas probes and the collection of soil gas samples. When indoor air quality problems are identified they can normally be resolved through the modification/installation of a properly designed ventilation system.
Metropolitan is well experienced with U.S. EPA and State vapor intrusion investigation techniques. We have completed numerous vapor intrusion and indoor air quality studies at commercial and residential properties. We have the experience to identify and resolve indoor vapor intrusion problems and the practical know-how to resolve indoor quality issues in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Contact us online or call 973-897-8162 to learn more about our Vapor Intrusion and Indoor Air Studies.




Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting, Forensics, and Environmental Remediation Services.


Construction, Investigation, Remediation and Forensic Expert  Engineers

P.O. Box 520

Tenafly, New Jersey 07670-0520

Ph.: (973) 897-8162

Fax: (973) 810-0440



Contact: Dr. Bill N. Stephan, PhD, PE, JD, CIH, MBA, CHMM






Insurance claim examiners, insureds, insurers, insurance adjusters and risk managers use Metropolitan for determining cause, evaluating the extent of damage, determining the age of the release, separating unrelated damage, analyzing loss scopes and managing restoration data, determining costs to repair, restore or replace, and preparing for insurance appraisals.



Attorneys call on Metropolitan for help when preparing for Litigation and Alternative Dispute Resolution such as arbitration and mediation


Driver with KH Concrete Cutting died when his box truck rear-ended a trailer on Interstate 96 in Howell Township





(Photo: Michigan State Police)


Police: Owosso man, 39, dies in I-96 crash in Howell Twp.


 Lisa Roose-Church, Livingston Daily 

5:52 p.m. EDT July 20, 2016

A 39-year-old Owosso man died Wednesday morning when his box truck rear-ended a trailer on Interstate 96 in Howell Township.

Michigan State Police did not identify the driver, but said he was driving a 1998 GMC box truck belonging to KH Concrete Cutting in Lansing west on I-96 in the right lane behind a 2016 Peterbilt semi truck and trailer that had slowed for traffic when he rear-ended it around 11:15 a.m.

The Owosso man died at the scene, near Highland Road (M-59) and east of Burkhart Road.

The Peterbilt driver, a 25-year-old Springfield, Missouri, woman, was not injured.

Police said alcohol and drugs are not considered to be factors in the crash, which remains under investigation.

The crash closed the expressway between mile marker 133 and D-19 for more than four hours. Traffic backups were reported to Latson Road in Genoa Township and Grand River Avenue in Howell became congested as traffic was rerouted.

Rerouted traffic was still backed up along Grand River Avenue to Golf Club Road in the Howell area during the evening rush hour.

Contact Livingston Daily justice reporter Lisa Roose-Church at 517-552-2846 or lrchurch@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @LisaRooseChurch.

A fatal accident on westbound I-96 east of the Burkhart Road interchange closed the two right lanes of the freeway Wednesday morning. (Photo: Gillis Benedict/Livingston Daily)

Wrong-way driver killed after he collided head-on with another vehicle on Route 220 in Virginia


UPDATE: State police responding to fatal crash on Route 220 North near Rocky Mount



By Web Staff |
Posted: Wed 12:51 PM, Jul 20, 2016 |
Updated: Wed 5:51 PM, Jul 20, 2016

 
FRANKLIN CO., Va. Virginia State Police are responding to a fatal accident on Route 220 in Franklin County.


Photo: Virginia State Police

According to Sergeant Richard Garletts, a 1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara was going south in the northbound lanes on Route 220 and hit a 2013 Dodge Charger head on.

The driver of the Suzuki was killed. He is identified as George Porter, 86, of Boones Mill. He was wearing a seatbelt and died at the scene.

The driver of the Dodge was injured and taken to the hospital. She is identified as Diane Law of Glade Hill. Law was wearing a seatbelt and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

The accident was reported at 12:33 p.m., about two miles north of Rocky Mount.

The Virginia State Police Crash Reconstruction Team assisted with the investigation.

The crash blocked both northbound lanes of Route 220 and one lane of Route 220 South.

The accident happened near the Midpoint car dealership.

All northbound and southbound lanes have re-opened on Route 220.

The crash remains under investigation.

Check back for any updates.

Idiot driver crashes his over-sized truck and damages 290 HOV lane in Houston, Texas







An over-sized truck struck the HOV lane from 290 to 610. (KTRK)

Updated 1 hr 30 mins ago

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- There's a big traffic alert for those of you on the northwest side. The Highway 290 HOV lane is shut down after a truck accident, as is the 290 exit ramp to the 610 West Loop.

According to TxDOT, an over-sized struck on that exit ramp struck the HOV lane above, damaging it. TxDot expects to re-open the HOV lane and connector from 290 to the 610 West Loop by Thursday's morning commute.




TxDOT has engineers on the scene assessing the damage.





(KTRK)

At least five people were injured in a house fire in Westchester County after they jumped from the 3-story building





At least five people were injured in a house fire Wednesday afternoon in Westchester County.

The fire caused a partial roof collapse of the house at 20 Claremont Avenue in Mount Vernon.

Four of those who were injured jumped from the burning 3-story home.

Three people were taken to Jacobi Medical Center and two to Montefiore Hospital.

The severity of the injuries is not yet known.

The house was completely destroyed.

There is no word on the cause of the fire.

Sumter Casket Factory Fire : Investigators still working to determine cause of massive fire at Midlands business in SC
















The fire at Sumter Casket Company burned for most of Monday afternoon. (Source: WIS)
 

 
Tuesday, July 19th 2016, 8:56 am EDTWednesday, July 20th 2016, 6:36 am EDT
By Jeremy Turnage, Digital Content Manager
 







SUMTER COUNTY, SC (WIS) -

The Sumter Fire Department continues to try and determine what caused a massive fire at a casket business on South Magnolia Street on Monday afternoon.

The Sumter Casket Company building caught fire just after noon on Monday, with firefighters from Shaw Air Force Base, the Columbia Fire Department, the Camden Fire Department, and the Clarendon Fire Department all working to extinguish the blaze.


Firefighters worked throughout Monday to put out the fire and and overnight into Tuesday to maintain any flare ups that occurred.

The investigation continues into a cause and Sumter County Fire Division Chief Brian Christmas said nothing has yet been determined. He said the process is a slow one and does not have a time frame for when the investigation might be completed.

He said a portion of the building was left standing, so it was not a total loss. Damages are estimated at about $750,000 for the building and $750,000 for the contents. The part of the building saved is estimated at $100,000 and the estimated amount of contents saved is $50,000.

Christmas said the business was insured.

“The offices burned,” Christmas said, “but there was no fire in part of the warehouse. I think they are going to try to create some office space there for the time being and try to get the business up and going again.”

He said the portion of the building left standing is about 125-feet by 50-feet wide.


Copyright 2016 WIS. All rights reserved.



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



SUMTER, SC (WIS) -

The fire at the Sumter Casket Company is under control, but firefighters will remain on scene throughout Monday night.

Fire crews were called to the Sumter Casket Company, located at 209 S. Magnolia St., on Monday after a fire broke out at approximately 12:40 p.m. Crews had the fire under control by 6 p.m.

The Lafayette Bridge on U.S. Highway 15 reopened after being closed majority of the day so emergency crews could get to the facility. However, drivers are urged to drive slowly and use caution in the area since light smoke still remains. However, some roadways surrounding the business, including Silver Street, will remain closed overnight as firefighters continue to monitor the situation.

RELATED: See photos of the fire at Sumter Casket Company.

The Sumter Fire Department was assisted by US Air Force Firefighters from Shaw Air Force Base, Columbia Fire, Camden Fire, and the Clarendon Fire Department.

Fire officials say there were no injuries in this four-alarm fire. Officials said eight employees were inside the facility at the time of the fire. All were able to escape successfully.

Officials say one building on the property is a total loss, though there are other buildings that might have also been affected by the fire.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.

Firefighters used a lot of water from hydrants and said city residents can expect discolored water for a period of time. The City will be doing all that it can to clear up the discolored water as soon as possible. If you continue to experience discolored water over the next few days, please contact Public Services at 803-436-2558.

Copyright 2016 WIS. All rights reserved

Three juveniles may be linked to a massive fire that destroyed a multistory chicken house in Jaffrey, NH





 


3 juveniles suspected in massive fire at Jaffrey farm, officials say
Blaze destroyed multistory chicken house
Published 10:10 AM EDT Jul 19, 2016
 


JAFFREY, N.H. —Three juveniles may be linked to a massive fire that destroyed a multistory chicken house in Jaffrey last week, according to fire officials.

Fire crews from multiple towns responded to the farm at Nutting Road on Wednesday. They found the coop, which was built in the 1930s, engulfed in flames.

The investigation is ongoing and the juveniles are cooperating with authorities, according to officials.

“Anytime you believe a youth has been involved in fire-setting behavior, the reason must be identified by a trained professional,” said Deputy State Fire Marshal Keith Rodenhiser. “Even curiosity fire-setting by young children needs to be taken seriously."

No chickens were in the building at the time of the fire. One firefighter was treated for heat exposure. No serious injuries were reported.

D.I.B. Leasing in Teterboro: Several plead guilty to insurance fraud and other charges; severla others are indicted in New Jersey


Monroe man pleads to insurance fraud
Office of the NJ Attorney General 2:45 p.m. EDT July 19, 2016





(Photo: ~Courtesy of Office of NJ Attorney General)


A Monroe man, who formerly served as manager of a Bergen County used car dealership, has pleaded guilty to bank financing scams that netted $1.4 million in fraudulent loans for luxury cars.

Two co-workers also pleaded guilty to the same charges, attorney state Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor announced Tuesday.

Hector Marquez, 43, the general manager of D.I.B. Leasing in Teterboro, pleaded guilty to first-degree money laundering and second-degree misconduct by a corporate official before Bergen Court Superior Court Judge Susan Steele.


Marquez also pleaded guilty to second-degree insurance fraud in a separate indictment involving a $139,000 Bentley purchased at his dealership and later torched and reported stolen to an insurance company.

As part of the plea, Marquez is facing a prison sentence not to exceed 16 years in the dealership case. In the insurance fraud case, the state has agreed to recommend a sentence not to exceed seven years, to run concurrent to the first sentence. Marquez is scheduled to be sentenced Jan 20, 2017.

“Hector Marquez was the point man in a criminal conspiracy in which banks were duped into approving auto loans for customers whose income levels did not qualify them for financing on the luxury vehicles,” Porrino said. “He then furthered his criminal involvement by helping one of his buyers to unload a pricey vehicle by committing insurance fraud. The lengthy prison time he faces should serve as a deterrent to anyone who thinks this kind of fraud is a path to easy money.”

Marquez is the third defendant to plead guilty in the D.I.B. Leasing case. The dealership’s finance manager, Paul Russo, 40, of Scotch Plains, pleaded guilty to second-degree money laundering and second-degree misconduct by a corporate official. He is facing a 10 year prison term when he is sentenced Sept. 16.

The dealership’s title manager, Lisa Ghobrial, 48, of Ridgefield, recently pleaded guilty to third-degree misconduct by a corporate official. The state has agreed to recommend a three-year probationary term when she is sentenced on Sept. 16.

The trio, along with a loan applicant assistant, a bookkeeper and the owner of the dealership, were charged in connection with the conspiracy. Prosecutors said the defendants created fake employment records, inflated incomes and supplied false pay stubs and fictitious employee verifications to dupe banks into approving auto financing for customers whose income levels did not qualify them for loans on the pricey vehicles.

Four of the loans were taken out in the names of customers who had submitted personal information to apply for financing but ultimately did not buy cars from the dealership, prosecutors allege. The fifth loan was in the name of a person who had never been to D.I.B. Leasing or applied for a car loan there, prosecutors alleged.
The loan money obtained from the banks was for personal benefit by the various employees of the dealership, prosecutors said.

“These defendants not only defrauded banks and corrupted the integrity of the car loan process; they preyed on customers who trusted them with their personal information,” said acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Christopher Iu. “My office will continue prosecuting the remaining defendants in this case to ensure they, too, are held responsible for their actions.”

The remaining defendants have all been indicted on charges of conspiracy and money laundering in the first degree and with a second-degree charge of trafficking in personal identifying information pertaining to another person.

They are: Patsy Galasso, 75, of Cliffside Park, owner of D.I.B. Leasing; Jennifer Perez, 30, of Union City, who assisted with loan applications; and Michael Ricciardi, 53, of Wayne, who did bookkeeping for the dealership.

Galasso and Ricciardi also are charged with second-degree identity theft and 62 counts of theft by deception — two in the second degree and 60 in the third degree. Galasso is also charged with second-degree misconduct by a corporate official.

First-degree crimes carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $200,000; second-degree crimes carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $150,000; third-degree crimes carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a criminal fine of up to $15,000.


Paul Russo (Photo: ~Courtesy of Office of NJ Attorney General)


Hector Marquez (Photo: ~Courtesy of Office of NJ Attorney General) 1