MEC&F Expert Engineers : 08/19/16

Friday, August 19, 2016

Pilot killed after his S2R Aero Commander Crop Duster plane crashed and burned in southern Colorado’s San Luis Valley






 
 
Photos by Teresa Benns


M.V. grad dies in crop duster crash Modified: Friday, Aug 19th, 2016
By Teresa L. Benns


ALAMOSA COUNTY, CO — A Monte Vista High School graduate died in a crop dusting accident Friday morning after his plane crash landed in a barley field just inside the Alamosa County line off Road 6 East and Highway 112.

The pilot, Dusty Claunch, 27, of Monte Vista, was deceased at the scene. Dusty had worked for Rio Grande Sheriff’s Office for several years and recently started working for Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office. He had taken the summer off to work for a local agricultural company as a pilot but was scheduled to go back with the sheriff’s office this fall.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, the call on the crash came into their dispatch center at 10:53 a.m. The crash landing also sparked a fire in the immediate area. The plane was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on scene. The flames from the crash also ignited the barley field that the plane had crashed into.

Volunteer fire units from Center, Mosca-Hooper responded to the call. A CSP trooper reported the blaze was extinguished within about 15 minutes of arrival.

The Colorado State Patrol was assisted by units from the Alamosa Sheriff's Department, Rio Grande County Sheriff's Department, Saguache Sheriff's Department and the Center Police Department. The FAA and NTSB are enroute to the crash scene to conduct an investigation.



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




Man, 27, dies in fiery San Luis Valley crop duster crash
The pilot, Dusty Claunch, of Monte Vista, was pronounced dead at the scene.


By Jesse Paul | jpaul@denverpost.com
August 19, 2016 at 5:31 pm


A 27-year-old man is dead after the crop duster he was piloting crashed Friday morning in southern Colorado’s San Luis Valley, authorities say.

The pilot, Dusty Claunch, of Monte Vista, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The plane went down just before 11 a.m. between the towns of Center and Hooper, south of Colorado 112 in Alamosa County. The aircraft was fully engulfed in flames when first responders arrived at the scene. The fire from the crash ignited a barley field that the crop duster crashed into.

“Dusty had worked for Rio Grande Sheriff’s Office for several years and recently started working for Alamosa County Sheriff’s Office,” the Colorado State Patrol’s bureau in Alamosa said in a news release. “He had taken the summer off to work for a local agricultural company as a pilot but was scheduled to go back with the sheriff’s office this fall.”

The Center and Mosca-Hooper Fire Departments responded and extinguished the fire, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

Allen Kenitzer, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said Claunch was piloting a S2R Aero Commander Crop Duster, which crashed under unknown circumstances.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.



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

Date:

19-AUG-2016
Time: 10:53
Type: Agplane
Owner/operator:

Registration:

C/n / msn:

Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Alamosa County E of Center, CO - United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature: Agricultural
Departure airport:

Destination airport:

Narrative:
The aircraft impacted farm field terrain during an aerial application flight in Alamosa County east of Center, Colorado. The airplane was partially consumed by the post-impact fire and the sole pilot onboard received fatal injuries.
Sources:
http://www.montevistajournal.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=4993&page=72
https://www.google.com/maps/@37.748334,-106.0479006,16z/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en-us

Crop dusting pilot killed after his Thrush S2R-T660 plane hit a radio tower guy wire and crashed in a field five miles west of Ruthton, Minnesota









(Photo: Robert Dykstra / Submitted)


Man killed in Pipestone County plane crash identified
Katie Nelson, kenelson@argusleader.com 3:57 p.m. CDT August 19, 2016


 
The pilot killed in a plane crash in Pipestone County on Friday morning has been identified as a 68-year-old man from Worthington, Minn.

James Arnt, pilot of the crop-duster, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Pipestone County Star.

The Pipestone County Star reported that the 68-year-old crop duster died after the plane left the Worthington airport and hit a radio tower and landed in a field around 8:30 a.m., five miles west of Ruthton. The tower was severely damaged.

Arnt is the owner of Arnt Aerial Spraying in Worthington, according to the business' website.

Minn. Sheriff Keith Vreeman has not said what caused the pilot to hit the tower. There were no passengers in the plane, the Star reported.

Three people were killed in a plane crash in Pipestone County last July after a small plane went down in a field near Holland, Minn.



Jim Arnt first started receiving flying lesson in December of 1970 in Tracy, MN. He continued as a flight instructor, and soon moved to Florida during the fall of 1971 to gain more knowledge of the aerial spraying business. Jim returned to Minnesota in March of 1972 and began his business on May 18, 1972 at Worthington Municipal Airport.

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

Date:

19-AUG-2016
Time: 8:11LT
Type: Thrush S2R-T660
Owner/operator: Arnt Aerial Spraying Inc
Registration: N40499 *
C/n / msn: T660-113
Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: W of Ruthton, Pipestone County, MN - United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature: Agricultural
Departure airport: Worthington Muni (KOTG)
Destination airport: Worthington Muni (KOTG)
Narrative:
A 68-year-old pilot crop duster, died during an aerial application flight in Fountain Prairie Township Section 1. His plane hit a radio tower guy wire and crashed in a field five miles west of Ruthton, Minnesota.
The tower was severely damaged.

* Registration Unconfirmed.
Sources:
http://www.argusleader.com/story/news/crime/2016/08/19/plane-crashes-pipestone-county/88997044/
http://www.keloland.com/news/article/news/sheriff-plane-crashed-in-pipestone-county
http://m.kdlt.com/news/authorities-investigating-plane-crash-in-pipestone-county-near-ruthton/41279764
http://www.dglobe.com/news/4097872-update-worthington-man-piloted-plane-involved-morning-crash
http://m.kdlt.com/news/authorities-investigating-plane-crash-in-pipestone-county-near-ruthton/41279764

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=40499
http://www.thrushaircraft.com/en/

The family of one of the men who died after being trapped in a room flooded with sludge at the El Paso wastewater treatment plant in 2014 has filed a lawsuit.





(Photo: RUBEN R. RAMIREZ/EL PASO TIMES)


Family of man who died at wastewater plant sues
Elida S. Perez, El Paso Times 7:57 p.m. MDT August 17, 2016

 
The family of one of the men who died after being trapped in a room flooded with sludge at a wastewater treatment plant in 2014 has filed a lawsuit.

Court documents show Priscilla Meraz, the widow of Carlos Ramos, is suing the city of El Paso, the El Paso Water Utilities Service Board and Cubic Water LLC, the company contracted by the water utility, for nonmonetary relief over $200,000.

Damages are sought for the physical pain and suffering experienced by Ramos, his funeral and burial expenses, mental anguish, loss of companionship, and loss of support and inheritance to Meraz and Ramos’ two children, according to the lawsuit.

Robert Lovett, who is representing Meraz, said the city has until the first week of September to respond to the lawsuit.


“Any loss of life of employees or contractors is a tragedy. Our hearts go out to the family. Because this case is currently under litigation, we are unable to offer any further comments.”El Paso Water officials said in an emailed statement

The deaths of Ramos and Barrow were reported to the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which conducted an investigation of Cubic Water. The investigation was completed in April 2015.

OSHA documents show the company was cited with five serious violations in the deaths, including regulations for respiratory protection, occupational safety and health standards, and exposure to toxic and hazardous substances.

The company received an initial $30,400 fine. OSHA documents show the company was able to settle and get the penalties reduced to $18,000.

Manuel Villalobos, president of Cubic Water LLC, declined to comment.

The company is still being contracted by El Paso Water.

Officials said El Paso Water is handling the litigation for itself and the city.

“Any loss of life of employees or contractors is a tragedy. Our hearts go out to the family. Because this case is currently under litigation, we are unable to offer any further comments,” El Paso Water officials said in an emailed statement.

The lawsuit alleges negligence, including dangerous conditions, lack of care, lack of safety equipment and conscious indifference to the rights, safety and welfare of others.

Ramos, 34, and his co-worker John Barrow, 40, worked for Cubic Water and were replacing a sludge pump at the Roberto R. Bustamante Wastewater Treatment Plant in the Lower Valley in October 2014.

“Once the pump was replaced, defendants the city of El Paso and the El Paso Water Utilities Public Service Board opened the sewage line leading to the pump. Defendants knew when they opened the line that Carlos Ramos and his coworker were in the room with the line and pump, to test the pump,” the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit states that the city and water utility “failed to exercise reasonable care” to ensure the sewage line was capable of withstanding the pressure of the sludge flowing through the line.

Sludge is a byproduct from treated wastewater.

It also says that the sewage line was susceptible to being ruptured when opened and filled with sludge and poisonous gas, creating an unreasonably dangerous condition on the premises.

The lawsuit also alleges that Cubic Water failed to provide Ramos with proper equipment to perform his work safely, including a respirator.

“Even though it knew that the workplace could contain raw sewage, it did not identify and evaluate the respiratory hazards of the workplace or estimate employee exposure to these hazards. It did not provide appropriate ventilation, testing or procedures to avoid exposure to respiratory hazards,” the lawsuit states.

Utility officials said in an emailed statement that “Cubic Water, LLC continues to meet the qualifications El Paso Water sets forth in bids that have been awarded to them.”

The statement also said El Paso Water is investigating establishing stricter criteria for future contracts to increase safety and accountability.

“Contracts can only be terminated with cause or convenience as determined by the specific facts and circumstances involved in each contract. Cubic Water, LLC is in good standing with the utility,” officials said.

The treatment plant was built in 1991 and treats wastewater for the east, southeast and Lower Valley areas of El Paso County, according to El Paso Water's website. The water discharged from the plant goes to the Riverside Canal for irrigation purposes and to the Riverside Drain to help water the Rio Bosque Wetlands Preserve.

The plant has won numerous awards, including the National Association of Clean Water Agencies' Peak Performance Platinum Award, as well as 17 Gold Awards and two Silver Awards from the association.

Walker Brothers International Circus to fight criminal charges in Lancaster, NH tent collapse that killed 2 and injured 32







A father and his daughter were killed when the Walker Brothers International Circus's big-top tent collapsed in Lancaster on Aug. 3. Another 32 people were injured. (John Koziol)
Lawyer: Circus to fight charges in Lancaster tent collapse

By JOHN KOZIOL
Union Leader Correspondent

LANCASTER, NH — The attorney for Walker International Events told a judge Wednesday that his client intends to plead not guilty to all charges in connection with circus tent collapse at the Lancaster Fairgrounds that killed a father and his young daughter last year.

Michael Iacopino said after the hearing in Coos County Superior Court that as a condition of expected bail, his client had agreed not to operate any circuses in New Hampshire while the criminal case is pending.

Based in Sarasota, Fla., Walker International Events was indicted in July for allegedly failing to properly install the circus tent, acquire a place of assembly license and follow building codes as well as for failing to notify the state fire marshal prior to erecting the tent and for several charges related to illegal behavior regarding employee safety.

In February, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Walker International for 14 violations and fined it $33,000. The company has appealed the decision and penalty.

Walker International is also the lead defendant in a consolidated civil lawsuit that includes claims for damages by several victims of the tent collapse, including Rebecca Young of Concord, Vt. She alleges that the company was negligent and caused the wrongful deaths of her husband, Robert, 41, and the couple’s 8-year-old daughter, Annabelle.

The civil trial is projected to be held in May 2017; Judge Peter H. Bornstein is presiding over both the criminal and civil cases.

In one of its responses to the Young lawsuit, Walker International said the Aug. 3, 2015, tent collapse was an “act of God.” The fairgrounds were struck by a microburst that brought rain, lightning, hail and wind gusts of up to 90 mph about 16 minutes into the 5:30 p.m. circus performance.

Bornstein began the arraignment/bail hearing Wednesday by pointing out that while he was aware of the motion to waive arraignment, someone “other than defense counsel” had to present it.

Bornstein suggested that John Caudill Jr., president of Walker International, be that person. Bornstein said he also required minutes from the meeting during which the Walker International board of directors voted to authorize Caudill or someone else to represent the company in court.

Iacopino told Bornstein that he’d get a letter to the court from Caudill.

Bornstein continued the hearing to an unspecified date in early September.




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



Father, daughter killed, 32 hurt in circus tent collapse in Lancaster, N.H.
Severe storm moved through New Hampshire fairgrounds
UPDATED 11:29 PM EDT Aug 04, 2015


LANCASTER, N.H. —New Hampshire's fire marshal said Tuesday it's not clear why a circus operator proceeded with a show minutes after the National Weather Service put out a severe storm warning, as 60 mph winds collapsed the tent, killing two spectators and sending about 32 others to hospitals.

Those killed were identified Tuesday as 41-year-old Robert Young and 8-year-old Annabelle Young, of Concord, Vermont. Fire Marshal William Degnan said an autopsy showed they died of blunt-force trauma.

State Fire Marshal Bill Degnan said there were approximately 100 spectators inside the Walker Brothers International Circus tent for the 5:30 p.m. performance. He said about 32 spectators were injured, some seriously, and they were treated at four area hospitals.

The tent collapsed at 5:46 p.m., about 16 minutes after the show began and 23 minutes after a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for the area, officials said.

According to the state fire marshal's office, the National Weather Service said a microburst with estimated wind gusts of 75-90 mph is to blame for the collapse of the tent's steel infrastructure.

Degnan said the investigation will involve documenting and recreating the scene, examining the tent setup and assessing whether it was up to building and fire codes.

"We will also be conducting a building code and fire code assessment to ensure that everything was done in accordance with nationally recognized fire codes," said Degnan.

Lancaster does not have a building official, so a building permit was not needed for the circus tent, Degnan said.

"The only time that a building permit would kick in is if there is a local ordinance for that," Degnan said.

He said the responsibility lies with the circus organizers to monitor the weather and determine whether conditions are safe.

Degnan said officials have spoken to representatives from the circus, but they wanted to consult with their lawyers before commenting.

Degnan also is seeking the public's help in the investigation.

"We have been contacted by dozens of attendees," Degnan said. "Each person's account provided important pieces of information that further developed the state's understanding of this tragic event."

The circus's show scheduled for Tuesday night in Vermont has been canceled.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene as high winds ripped down the tent.

Rick Cadieux said he was under the tent with his wife and their grandson when the winds started picking up and dumping large hailstones outside the tent.
Cadieux said that at one point, the wind blew open one side of the tent. He described the sound as a locomotive coming through the inside.

He said he looked at some of the poles and everything seemed fine. Then the wind picked the tent up off the ground and everything started falling over.

"The one right in front of us started moving. It picked up right out of the ground," Cadieux said. "There were two large 50-foot towers and they started to go and pulled the whole tent with it."

Cadieux said that once he got outside the tent, people were scrambling everywhere while the hail and rain made it nearly impossible to see.

Cadieux said that after he got his wife and grandson into his car, he ran back to the scene to help, along with circus performers who were still in costume.

Despite the traumatic events, Cadieux said he would go back to the circus again.

Kimberly Roy, meanwhile, was there with the girlfriend of the father of her twin boys, Doreen Dingman.

"The scene was just awful. I mean, as soon as that tent went down and people were coming out, you could see it on everybody's face: pure panic. They couldn't find their kids. The kids couldn't find their family," said Roy.

"When everything started falling, oh my God, people were screaming and getting out of there. You could hear kids crying," said Dingman.

Gov. Maggie Hassan released a statement Tuesday morning, saying: "Tom and I are deeply saddened by the tragedy last night in Lancaster, and we join all Granite Staters in sending our thoughts and prayers to the family and loved ones of those we lost, as well as everyone who was injured.

"We want to express our gratitude to all of the first responders who came to the aid of their fellow citizens and the bystanders who -- in true Granite State fashion -- also helped save lives. As the state fire marshal continues the investigation, I encourage anyone who was there, even if you think you don't have any information, to contact the Office of the Fire Marshal."






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

2 killed, 32 hurt in New Hampshire circus tent collapse







A man and a girl were killed and at least 22 people were injured Monday when a severe storm blew down a circus tent in northern New Hampshire. (WPVI)

Tuesday, August 04, 2015
LANCASTER, N.H. -- New Hampshire's fire marshal said Tuesday it wasn't clear why a circus operator proceeded with a show minutes after the National Weather Service put out a severe storm warning, as 60 mph winds collapsed the tent, killing two spectators and sending about 32 others to hospitals.

Bill Degnan said it's the responsibility of the circus operator to monitor the weather conditions. The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning at about 5:23 p.m. Monday. The show started seven minutes later at the Lancaster Fairgrounds, about 90 miles north of Concord. The storm blew threw at about 5:46 p.m., with about 100 people inside the tent.

"I see these very large metal poles that are in the ground and go through the top of the tent; I see them starting to come out of the ground and fly up, into the air toward us," witness Heidi Medeiros, attending with her 3-year-old son, told WMUR-TV. She said 10 to 30 seconds later, the pole slammed onto the bleacher where she and her son had been sitting.

Degnan said he had spoken to the operator, Sarasota, Florida-based Walker International Events. He said they were "waiting for counsel." Walker has not responded to phone and email messages left by The Associated Press.

Degnan said no request was made to state or local officials for an inspection of the tent. If they were notified, they would have done one, he said.

Degnan said he didn't know if local officials knew or should have known the show was taking place. He said the show would have required a "place of assembly permit," but to the best of his knowledge, one was not sought.

He said those questions would be part of the state's investigation, as well as the tent's setup, and a building and fire code assessment. The National Weather Service also was helping to determine what type of wind passed through the area.

"We all this morning have heavy hearts," Gov. Maggie Hassan told WMUR-TV earlier. "We lost two lives - a father and a daughter - at an event that was supposed to be fun."

The names of the victims have not been released, pending notification of family. Degnan said autopsies were being conducted Tuesday.

At least some of the injured sent to hospitals have been discharged. Mike Barwell, a spokesman for Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, which would have accepted more seriously injured patients, said it took in two people, an adult and a 5-year-old boy. He said he had no information on the adult, but that the boy was in fair condition Tuesday.

Degnan has said it was the first time his agency had investigated a tent collapse. He asked that anyone with images or video of the event contact his office.

The circus was scheduled to head to Bradford, Vermont, for shows on Tuesday and Wednesday, but canceled, state police said.

The collapse came a day after one man died and more than a dozen were injured when a tent where people had sought shelter during a brief storm blew off its moorings and fell on some of the crowd at a festival in a Chicago suburb. The annual celebration known as the Prairie Fest had attracted about 5,000 people when the tent collapsed.

The popular Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago's Grant Park briefly shut down Sunday afternoon due to the weather, then resumed less than an hour later. Organizers ended the final day of the festival 30 minutes early Sunday night when another storm hit the area.

___

Associated Press writer Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report.

Managers with Walsh Construction Co. and Vinci Construction were “fully aware” that the crane anemometer, was damaged and failed to install a new one








OSHA: East End Bridge companies knew wind gauge was broken months before crane collapse Posted: Aug 19, 2016 3:49 PM EST Updated: Aug 19, 2016 7:08 PM EST
By Marcus Green

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – The companies in charge of the East End Bridge knew a crane had a broken wind gauge months before it collapsed in high winds in February, federal investigators have determined.

The U.S. Safety and Health Administration found that the gauge had not worked since December 2015. Managers with Walsh Construction Co. and Vinci Construction were “fully aware” that the device, called an anemometer, was damaged and failed to install a new one, according to an agency report.

“Instead of replacing the broken anemometer … management asked the crane operator of the ringer crane to confer with the operators of the nearby tower crane to determine the wind speeds,” the report says.

Walsh and Vinci are part of the WVB East End Partners group that oversees the eastern segment of the Ohio River Bridges Project. Spokesman Dan Hartlage said in a statement:


"Working anemometers were on site and in use as required by OSHA."

The report and other documents obtained under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act shed new light on the Feb. 19 incident, which led OSHA to issue two “serious” safety violations and fines of $21,379.

According to OSHA's Nashville office, which led the investigation:

On the morning of the collapse, a worker operating a crane on a barge in the Ohio River sent a text message to another employee asking about the wind speeds. That employee wasn’t working that day, leaving the crane operator without data needed to safely use the crane.

Four workers were on the barge when a “gust of wind” caught the crane’s boom, causing it to fold back on itself. One worker jumped into the river before swimming ashore.

“Knowledge of the prevailing wind speed is critical to the safe operation of the crane,” the report says. “If the wind speed is above a predetermined value then all operations of the crane must stop.”

Investigators said daily logs that noted the broken gauge were kept at the job site and also uploaded to offices in Chicago, where Walsh is based. They claim managers knew the device was broken and had tried to replace it but “the wrong piece had been ordered.”

OSHA cited Walsh and Vinci for not determining whether wind was a factor the day of the collapse and not using a wind speed indicator. The companies also were cited for failing to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the angle of the boom.

“The overly steep angle of the boom increased its height, thereby exposing the crane to higher wind velocities,” inspectors wrote. “Exposure of the boom to these higher wind velocities contributed to the collapse of the crane.”

Workers still in critical condition, cause of floor collapse at Church's Chicken still unknown, rotten floor is suspected





Relative of burned employee at Church's Chicken talk about the injuries. (KTRK)

By Steve Campion
Updated 4 mins ago

LIVINGSTON, TX (KTRK) -- Fried chicken covered in mold still sits on the counter of the Church's Chicken in Livingston. Flies feast in the dining room window and a putrid smell greets anyone who walks up to the door.

The restaurant remains closed following a horrific floor collapse on August 1.

The accident caused hot grease to pour on top of three employees, resulting in severe burns.









(Polk County Today)

All three women remain in critical condition including 34-year old Hugolina Guerrero. As you can imagine, the medical bills keep mounting for their families. They continue to accept donations for their expenses.

Guerrero's cousin, Claudia Merino, spoke with Eyewitness News. Merino is planning a benefit event scheduled for Saturday, August 27.

"I think it's hard on the whole community because it's something that obviously could have been prevented," said Merino. "Having to see all those girls suffer through all that pain, you're talking about 3rd degree burns. That's going to take a long time to recover. We still don't know if they are going to make it or not."





Cause of floor collapse at Church's Chicken still unknown, Steve Campion reports.


The event, "Livingston United" starts at 10:00am inside the VFM at 3916 US 59 in Livingston on Saturday, August 27.

Church's corporate office told abc13 a partner foundation donated $6,000 to the families.

A second person has died hours after two New Jersey Transit buses collided T-bone in Newark Friday morning when one of them run the red light






Rob Nelson and Mallory Hoff have the details.

Updated 1 hr 53 mins ago

NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A second person identified only as a female passenger has died hours after two New Jersey Transit buses collided in Newark Friday morning.

One bus T-boned the other, likely at high speed, around 6 a.m. at North Broad Street and Raymond Boulevard. One of the vehicles was broken nearly in half, and a bus driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger who later died was among 18 others who were injured. Six remain in critical condition, while the rest have non-life threatening injuries.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said the buses involved were a Route 59 bus and a Route 13 bus, which had 17 passengers and a driver on board. The Route 59 bus was empty, except for the driver -- identified as 70-year-old Joseph Barthelus, a 27-year veteran driver -- who was killed.

Many passengers were entangled in twisted metal seats covered in shards of glass as the force of the crash tipped the occupied bus at a 30-degree angle as it came to rest on a median. Some were trapped and needed to be rescued, and firefighters could be seen pulling passengers through a side window and loading them onto waiting stretchers and into ambulances.

John del Giorno and NewsCopter 7 above the scene:



Barthelus was described by the New Jersey Transit Police Department as a longtime employee. The other driver, 35-year veteran James Roberts, had neck, back and shoulder injuries.

Baraka said the cause of the accident is under investigation.

"We have some preliminarily(sic) kind of data that says we suspect one of the bus drivers may have gone through a red light," he said. "We are not positive about that, but that is what is being said."








Photos from the scene where 2 buses collided in Newark, New Jersey on Friday, August 19, 2016. (NewsCopter 7)
Traffic in the area was being diverted, and Baraka urged commuters to stay away from the intersection as officials worked to clear the street.

Victims were taken to University Hospital, Beth Israel Medical Center, St. Michael's Hospital and Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office will investigate the crash.

"We are praying for all the folks in the hospital that they get a speedy recovery from this tragic accident," Baraka said.
One witness posted a Facebook Live video to his page:


Jennifer Petrain was opening up a Starbucks about 100 yards from where the accident occurred. She said she heard a crash "like an explosion" and ran outside. She said she and a co-worker brought ice water, rags and a first aid kit.

"We were there before anybody was on the scene," Petrain said. "It was terrible. We saw people with head injuries, leg injuries."

The intersection was the first in the state, in 2009, to feature a surveillance camera designed to catch people running red lights. Then-Mayor Cory Booker conducted a demonstration in which he purposely rode through a red light. The program ultimately expanded to about two dozen towns and cities in New Jersey before it was discontinued in 2014 amid controversy and lawsuits.

Shelter in place after a malfunctioning relief valve caused an ammonia leak at Plainville Farms turkey plant in New Oxford, Adams County, PA




Ammonia leak forces residents to stay inside their homes in Adams County
Posted 7:32 PM, August 13, 2016, by Jaime Garland, Updated at 07:40pm, August 13, 2016


NEW OXFORD, Pa.-- An ammonia leak at a turkey processing plant in Adams County forced residents in New Oxford to seek shelter for about an hour on Saturday evening.

The leak was reported at Plainville Farms on the 300-block of South Water Street around 5:00 p.m. Residents in the borough of New Oxford and certain parts of Hamilton and Oxford Townships were told to shelter in place immediately.

Officials say employees at the plant were sent home; no injuries were reported.

The cause of the leak was determined to be a malfunctioning relief valve on the roof of the building. A company official tells FOX43 the valve was compromised due to the extreme heat.

Firefighters say the leak was controlled at 6:49 p.m. and the shelter in place order was lifted.

Units from United Hook & Ladder Co #33 were assisted by Southeastern Adams Volunteer Emergency Services, Biglerville Fire Co., Adams Regional Emergency Medical Services, and Local & Adams County Emergency Management.

Plainville Farms remained closed Saturday night. Full operations are scheduled to resume Monday morning.

PREVIOUSLY REPORTED:

NEW OXFORD, Pa.-- A shelter in place order, that was issued for people living in the borough of New Oxford in Adams County, has now been lifted.

The order was given around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, after reports of a possible ammonia leak at Plainville Farms on South Water Street.

Residents in the borough, as well as those living within a one-mile radius of the town square, in Hamilton and Oxford Townships, were urged to stay inside.

At this point, officials say it is now safe to go outside, open windows and turn on any external air intakes. If you smell any type of gas though, you are asked to call 911.

Fire and other emergency crews are still on the scene investigating the leak.





==================================
A Turkey Plant Ammonia Leak

Thursday, August 18, 2016 @ 05:08 PM gHale

A malfunctioning relief valve caused an ammonia leak at a turkey plant in Adams County, PA, which led emergency responders to issue a shelter in place notice Saturday for three municipalities.

The shelter in place call went into effect at 5:45 p.m. and lasted for an hour. The notice affected New Oxford, Oxford Township and Hamilton Township.

The leak came from a turkey plant, fire officials said. The leak came from a relief valve from the roof of the building, according to the release.


The leak has been blamed on recent high temperatures. The gas leaked from the refrigeration system at Plainville Farms in New Oxford.

There were no injuries in the incident.

More than $200,000 in damages after 4-alarm fire guts Norcia Fine Cabinetry business in Soddy Daisy, TN







4-alarm fire guts Soddy Daisy business
By WTVC Friday, August 19th 2016



SODDY DAISY, Tenn. — A 4-alarm fire guts a Soddy Daisy business.

Fire officials tell NewsChannel 9 the fire broke out at Norcia Fine Cabinetry on Gulf View Drive.


No one was injured and there's no word on how the fire began but officials estimate the damage will be more than $200,000.


Soddy Daisy's Fire Chief Mike Guffey tells NewsChannel 9 hazmat teams were called in to keep chemicals from the business to leaking into a nearby creek.

However, he adds all chemical leaks from the building have been contained.

$500,000 in damages after 4-alarm fire burns through Hyde Park home in Massachusets







4-alarm fire burns through Hyde Park home


Catherine Lindsay
August 18, 2016 


Boston, Mass.

A 4-alarm fire spread through a Hyde Park residence on Thursday, the Boston Fire Department said.

Firefighters responded to a building fire at 1044 River St. around 3:28 p.m, according to the department’s Twitter. The two-and-a-half-story, wood-frame house contained three apartments.

Firefighters put out most of the heavy fire by around 5 p.m., the department. The fire reportedly displaced eight residents.

Four firefighters were transported by emergency personnel for treatment of heat exhaustion and other minor, non-life-threatening injuries, according to the department.

The department stated that the chief estimated the damage at $500,000. Investigators were on scene to determine the cause of the fire and its point of origin.