MEC&F Expert Engineers : February 2017

Tuesday, February 28, 2017

A man severely burned after an e-cigarette exploded in his pocket when an after-market battery shorted out when it rubbed against some loose change







A man in Canada suffered severe burns after an e-cigarette exploded in his pocket.

Tuesday, February 28, 2017 05:51AM
CALGARY, Canada (KTRK) -- A man in Canada suffered severe burns after an e-cigarette exploded in his pocket.

The incident happened at the Embarcadero oyster bar in Calgary and was caught on surveillance video.


The man was carrying an e-cigarette and a spare after-market battery in his pocket. He told reporters that the battery apparently shorted out when it rubbed against some loose change.

The explosion was so intense, it melted his polyester boxer shorts onto his skin and gave him third degree burns.

12-inch water break in Hoboken, New Jersey creates hell on earth, swallowing cars and flooding properties




 

Dray Clark has more from Hoboken, N.J. on the water main break


HOBOKEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- Crews are working to repair a large water main break that flooded a section of Hoboken, New Jersey, Tuesday.

The break happened on a 12-inch main sometime before 4 a.m. at the intersection of 5th Street and Willow Avenue, swallowing cars and washing out several blocks.




5th Street remains shut down from Park Avenue to Clinton Street, and Willow Avenue and Clinton Street are closed between 6th Street and 4th Street.

Suez Water worked to isolate the broken main, which was removed around noontime, and service has been restored to customers in the affected area.



The break happened under a parked vehicle, and as the hole grew bigger, the car became completely submerged.

Other cars were moved out of danger.


"When I looked out the window, there was a lake here," said Father Alexander Santour, pastor of Our Lady of Grace Church, who believes main breaks happen so frequently in Hoboken because the city is neglecting to address the aging underground infrastructure. "We have a mayor who's more worried about bike lanes than she is about all these issues, and they're supposed to have more pumps in town. They don't have all those pumps. I really think it's dereliction on the part of the administration."

NJ Transit buses are detouring along Washington Street as a result of the street closures.

Hoboken officials stressed a boil water advisory is not in effect, but pressure may be lower than normal as repairs continue.

"It's a meticulous process that takes time," Suez Water's Treva Spencer said "We want to make sure were getting everything that needs to be repaired or replaced."

There is no indication or timetable on how long it will take to get things patched up and back to normal.

A crash between an A&F Tours Inc., tour bus and two cars has killed one person and injured 21 others in the Southern California high desert near Kramer.









The California Highway Patrol says a crash between a tour bus and two cars has killed one person and injured 21 others in the Southern California high desert. (KFSN)

Monday, February 27, 2017 07:03PM
KRAMER, Calif. -- A tour bus crossed into oncoming traffic and hit two cars head-on, killing one woman and injuring 26 others in the Southern California high desert, according to the California Highway Patrol.

It's unclear why the tour bus crossed into the westbound lanes of State Route 58 near Kramer, about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles, CHP Officer Brian Benson said. There was no remarkable weather in the area at the time of the collision, he said.

The woman killed was 55 years old and was in one of the two cars the bus hit, Benson said.

Nine people suffered life-threatening injuries in Monday afternoon's crash, and 17 others were taken to hospitals with injuries that weren't considered to be life-threatening, said Eric Sherwin, a San Bernardino County Fire spokesman.

Benson said the bus, owned by Arcadia, California-based A&F Tours Inc., seats about 30 passengers. The company didn't respond to a message seeking comment.

The company's vehicles have been inspected 22 times in the last two years, and a vehicle was taken out of service during one of the inspections, according to U.S. Department of Transportation records. The company did not report any crashes in the last two years, the records showed.

Duane DeBruyne, a spokesman for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said the agency would assist in a post-crash assessment, including an examination of both the vehicle and the bus company's safety record.

Video footage at the scene posted online shows debris strewn all over the side of the highway as firefighters worked to remove the victims from the cars. The footage also shows firefighters placing a woman in a neck brace and carrying another on a stretcher, a woman comforting a puppy, and a man holding a child. The front end of the bus was badly damaged.

The highway was closed in both directions.

=======



Bus crash in Southern California kills 1, injures 26 more

Published February 27, 2017
FoxNews.com
 

A tour bus crossed into oncoming traffic and hit two cars in the Southern California high desert Monday, killing a woman and injuring 26 others.

California Highway Patrol Officer Brian Benson said it was unclear why the bus crossed into the westbound lanes of State Route 58 near Kramer, about 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

Benson said a 55-year-old woman in one of the cars was killed. San Bernardino County Fire spokesman Eric Sherwin said nine people suffered life-threatening injuries and 17 others were also taken to hospitals.


Benson said the bus, owned by Arcadia, California-based A&F Tours Inc., seats about 30 passengers. The company had no immediate comment.

The company's vehicles have been inspected 22 times in the last two years, and a vehicle was taken out of service during one of the inspections, according to U.S. Department of Transportation records. The company did not report any crashes in the last two years, the records showed.


Duane DeBruyne, a spokesman for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, said the agency would assist in a post-crash assessment, including an examination of both the vehicle and the bus company's safety record.


Benson said it was unclear what caused the crash, adding that there was no remarkable weather in the area at the time of the collision.

After hitting the two cars, Benson said the bus turned over on its side and somehow righted itself. Video footage at the scene posted online shows debris strewn all over the side of the highway as firefighters worked to remove the victims from the cars. The footage also shows firefighters placing a woman in a neck brace and carrying another on a stretcher, a woman comforting a puppy and a man holding a child. The front end of the bus was badly damaged.

6 people injured in crash involving DART bus and two cars in Newport, Delaware.





Six people were injured after a crash in Newport, Delaware. (WPVI)

Tuesday, February 28, 2017 12:05AM
NEWPORT, Del. (WPVI) -- At least six people were injured after a crash involving a DART bus in Newport, Delaware.

It happened around 5:50 p.m. Monday on I-95 southbound just south of Route 141.

Police say the crash involved two vehicles and the bus.

Six people were taken to Christiana Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Authorities are continuing to investigate.

Traffic was reduced from six lanes to two in the area due to the wreckage and investigation.


========




DELAWARE (WTXF) - Delaware State Police are currently investigating a 3 vehicle crash which injured six people. 


The initial investigation has determined that the crash occurred at approximately 5:50 p.m. on I-95 southbound just south of DE Rt. 141, New Castle, and involves two passenger vehicles and a DART bus.

As a result of the crash, six people have been injured and have been transported to local hospitals. Their injuries are not believed to be life threatening at this time.

The southbound lanes of I-95 south of Rt. 141 have been closed to traffic and commuters are asked to find alternate routes of travel. The investigation into this crash is in its early stages.

At least 150 people were forced to flee when a malfunctioning boiler filled Mapletree Apartments with potentially deadly carbon monoxide.


PATCHOGUE, Long Island (WABC) -- At least 150 people were forced to flee when a malfunctioning boiler filled their Long Island apartment building with potentially deadly carbon monoxide.

Patchogue firefighters first went to the Mapletree Apartments for a call about smoky food on a stove.

But as they were wrapping up that problem, the building's carbon monoxide detectors all went off.

The building was evacuated.

The Red Cross helped make arrangements for residents while National Grid worked on the problem.

Pilot Matthew Kawamura, with Westwind Helicopters Inc., was killed after the Bell helicopter he was flying crashed into a bayou in southern Terrebonne Parish














Pilot dies after helicopter crashes into Terrebonne waterway


Updated Feb 27, 2017 at 9:04 PM


Authorities identified the pilot as Matthew Kawamura of Enterprise, Ala. By Dan Copp Staff Writer

A 26-year-old pilot was killed this afternoon after the helicopter he was flying crashed into a bayou in southern Terrebonne Parish, authorities said.

Authorities identified the pilot as Matthew Kawamura of Enterprise, Ala.

Members of the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office Water Patrol responded to the crash, which occurred shortly after 12:52 p.m. in Bayou Barre, a waterway that feeds into a lake by the same name about 10 miles south of Montegut, Sheriff's Office spokesman Maj. Malcom Wolfe said.


Investigators pronounced Kawamura dead shortly after recovering his body at the scene, Wolfe said.


There was wreckage and debris from the downed aircraft in the waters where deputies recovered the pilot's body, Wolfe said.


Authorities said there were no other passengers on board the aircraft, which flew for Westwind Helicopters Inc.


Westwind, based in Santa Fe, Texas, provides personnel transportation for offshore oil and gas operations, charter services and power line and pipeline patrols throughout the Gulf Coast. The company's fleet is comprised of Bell series helicopters such as the 206 and 407, the firm's website says.


Westwind operates bases in Houma, Abbeville, Cameron and Venice, as well as Santa Fe and Rockport, Texas.


"Westwind is working in conjunction with the National Transportation Safety Board regarding the ongoing investigation," the company said in a statement Monday. "Everyone at Westwind offers their deepest condolences to the family and friends of our pilot, and we are keeping those affected in our prayers during this difficult time."
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating, Wolfe said.

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

Helicopter pilot killed in crash south of Terrebone Parish Posted: Feb 27, 2017 9:08 PM EST Updated: Feb 27, 2017 9:08 PM EST

Terrebone, Louisiana -

A pilot is dead after his helicopter crashed off the coast of southern Terrebone Parish around noon Monday.

According to the HoumaToday, Terrebone authorities says the pilot, identified as 26-year-old Matthew Kawamura of Enterprise Alabama crashed shortly after 12:50 p.m. In Bayou Barre. Terrebone Sheriff's office responded to the incident shortly after locating the craft about 10 miles south of Montegut.

HoumaToday reports that no other passengers were on board the aircraft. Investigators pronounced Kawamura dead shortly after recovering his body at the scene. The helicopter flew for Westwind Helicopters, Inc which is based out of Santa Fe, Texas.

The company provides personnel transportation for offshore oil and gas operations, charter services and power line and pipeline patrols throughout the Gulf Coast. They also operate out of Abbeville.

An investigation is still ongoing.

Date:

27-FEB-2017
Time: 00:52 p.m.
Type: Bell
Owner/operator: Westwind Helicopters
Registration:

C/n / msn:

Fatalities: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: Terrebonne Parish, Bayou Barre - United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature: Private
Departure airport:

Destination airport:

Narrative:
The helicopter crashed under unknown circumstances. The pilot died in the crash.

Sources:
http://www.houmatoday.com/news/20170227/pilot-dies-after-helicopter-crashes-into-terrebonne-waterway

Two people died after a Cessna 172S Skyhawk plane crashed into Culver Reservoir southwest of Berthoud, Colorado









LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. – Two people died after they were pulled from a plane that crashed into Culver Reservoir southwest of Berthoud Monday morning.

The Berthoud Fire Protection District confirmed to Denver7 that two people were pulled from the crash and taken to a nearby hospital. The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the two people, both men, died at the hospital.

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office says the plane crashed into the reservoir around 7:45 a.m.

Divers with the sheriff’s office entered the water just after 8 a.m., according to the sheriff’s office.

But both men had been in the water for 50 minutes, the sheriff’s office said, and were declared dead at the hospital. Their identities have not been released.

Allen Kenitzer, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Communications, tells Denver7 the plane was a Cessna 172 and confirmed that two people were aboard the plane when it crashed.

The plane was removed from the reservoir just before 3 p.m.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. Berthoud Fire and the Loveland Fire Rescue Authority assisted the sheriff’s office at the scene.

The FAA also confirmed the plane's tail number to Denver7. The plane is registered to McAir Aviation LLC, based in Broomfield.

Some now refer to Culver Reservoir as Blue Mountain Reservoir.

Anyone with information on the crash or who witnessed it is asked to call LCSO Investigator Drew Weber at 970-498-5172.




Date:

27-FEB-2017
Time: 07:45 a.m.
Type:
Cessna 172S Skyhawk
Owner/operator: McAir Aviation LLC
Registration: N2461N
C/n / msn: 172S10043
Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Substantial
Location: Culver Reservoir, Larimer County SW of Berthoud, Colorado - United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport:

Destination airport:

Narrative:
The plane crashed into the reservoir under unknown circumstances. Both occupants survived the crash, but later succumbed to the injuries received.

Sources:
www.denverpost.com
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/plane-crashes-into-culver-reservoir-in-larimer-county-2-people-extricated
http://www.9news.com/news/local/faa-plane-crashes-into-culver-reservoir/415443754
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N2461N
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000114491.html

3 people killed, 2 injured after a Cessna 310Q10 crashed and burned in Riverside, California









A small plane crashed into two homes, leaving both a gutted shell, shortly after departing the Riverside airport late Monday afternoon in an incident a witness a mile away said felt like an earthquake.


Firefighters respond to a plane crash in Riverside on Feb. 27, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

Police began receiving phone calls about 4:41 p.m. regarding a plane crashing near a residential area at Central and Streeter avenues, Riverside Police Department Lt. Charles Payne said.

At least three victims have died and another two were transported to nearby hospitals with serious injuries, according to Riverside Fire Chief Michael Moore. Although firefighters had previously reported four fatalities with one involving a resident, Moore later said the victims were the aircraft's five passengers and no resident victims had been found.

Two homes were completely destroyed with adjacent residences suffering moderate damage, Moore added.

A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said a Cessna 310 -- a six-seat, twin-engine plane -- had departed from Riverside en route to San Jose when it crashed under unknown circumstances about a half-mile northeast of Riverside Municipal Airport.

One of the plane's passengers was ejected and was transported to Riverside Community Hospital with minor injuries, according to Moore.

"Upon impact, the plane pretty much split apart and luckily she was ejected [with] very minor injuries even though we’re treating her as a critical patient," he said.

The passenger told firefighters there were five people on board and they were in the area for a cheerleading conference taking place at Disneyland this week.


A Riverside home remained a smoking shell after a plane crashed into it on Feb. 27, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

The other surviving victim was found in a home and extricated by firefighters, according to Moore. The patient was unconscious and transported to Arrowhead Memorial Hospital in San Bernardino in critical condition, he said.

Although firefighters initially believed the plane's occupants were two adults and three teenagers, they later said the two victims transported were both women in the later 30s or early 40s. The travelers were from the San Jose area, Moore said.

The National Transportation Safety Board would begin investigating in the morning to determine to cause of the crash.

Officials had earlier reported a resident was among those injured, but Moore later said firefighters were able to verify there were no residents unaccounted for with homeowners returning in the evening.

Flames and smoke were pouring from one home, which looked completely destroyed as firefighters continued to work after sunset. Debris was strewn across the home's front yard.

A neighboring home had damage as well, with its chimney apparently destroyed. At least one block of Dewey Avenue was evacuated, affecting upwards of 40 houses, Moore said.

Affected residents could seek help at a volunteer center set up by the American Red Cross on 5505 Dewey Ave. The organization would also be providing counseling services for residents throughout the week.

The inferno was mostly fuel-related as the plane had a "pretty full tank," according to Moore. It took just minutes for one home to burn to the ground, he said.


Flames continue to rise from a Riverside home after a plane crashed into it Feb. 27, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

Firefighters would remain on scene throughout the night to continue monitoring small fires and ensure all residents were accounted for.

"The building I was in shook like a very short, small earthquake," H.L Reyes said on Twitter shortly after the plane struck the home.

Witness Brian Marsh told KTLA said he saw the plane go down as he and his wife were driving with their children west on Central toward Streeter Avenue.

The plane made a northbound turn before the crash, Marsh said.

“As soon as it turned, it almost stalled,” Marsh said. “It just turned and went straight toward the ground. It looked like they tried to pull out of it, but it was too late.”

He said he saw no smoke or flames coming from the plane before the impact, which occurred when it was drizzling outside.

"It's horrible," Marsh said. "My kids, the first thing they said to me was, 'Did everyone make it? And I told them, I said, 'Honey, there's no way that everyone survived that crash.'"

Marsh's wife called 911 and police arrived in less than two minutes, he said.

The crash location is in a residential area of Riverside, a little under 50 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.

Evacuees were being directed to nearby Nichols Park, Payne said.




Date:

27-FEB-2017
Time: 16:41
Type:
Cessna T310Q
Owner/operator: Private
Registration: N1246G
C/n / msn: 310Q10
Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 5
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: NE of Riverside Municipal Airport (KRAL), Riverside, CA - United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature: Private
Departure airport: Riverside Muni (KRAL)
Destination airport: San Jose Int'l (KSJC)
Narrative:
Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft impacted two residential structures northeast of Riverside Municipal Airport (KRAL) in Riverside, California. The airplane was destroyed by the impact and post-impact fire. Three of the five occupants onboard the aircraft were fatally injured and two occupants received serious injuries, according to local news sources. Two residences were also destroyed. One individual on the ground was seriously injured.

Sources:
http://ktla.com/2017/02/27/plane-crashes-into-home-in-riverside-police-firefighters-responding/
http://abc7.com/news/4-dead-1-survivor-after-plane-crashes-into-riverside-home/1776422/
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/27/1-dead-4-injured-as-san-jose-bound-plane-crashes-in-riverside/
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Central+Ave+%26+Streeter+Ave,+Riverside,+CA+92504/@33.9535692,-117.4187412,18z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x80dcb10fb73be6a3:0x6b02fcd281bacb?hl=en-us
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1246G/history/20170227/2345Z/KRAL/KSJC
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=1246G
https://www.chooseyouritem.com/airplanes/files/9000/photos-9104.html

Monday, February 27, 2017

The Nissan plant in Smyrna, TN has been cited and ordered to pay $29,000 in fines after an employee was killed on the job late last year.






Nissan plant cited, ordered to pay fine after employee death
Ariana Maia Sawyer , USA TODAY NETWORK – Tennessee Published 8:31 p.m. CT Feb. 24, 2017 | Updated 9:34 p.m. CT Feb. 24, 2017


The Nissan plant in Smyrna, TN has been cited and ordered to pay $29,000 in fines by the state's Department of Labor and Workforce Development after an employee was killed on the job late last year.

According to labor department records, which detail the investigation into the incident and subsequent citations, the Smyrna plant failed to either ensure that employees stay out of mechanical testing areas or provide machine guarding.

The plant was also cited for failing to perform certain related annual safety inspections.

Parul Bajaj, a spokesperson for Nissan, said the plant is contesting the citations.

"The safety and well-being of our employees is always our top priority," Bajaj said. "We dedicate extensive time and resources to safety programs and training at the plant."

Dennis Pinkston, 46, received a “severe crushing head injury” Nov. 16 while checking that repairs to a conveyor belt had been successful, the report says. He was struck by a 1,275-pound counterweight that should have been secured by a large portion of metal mesh but that had been removed by mechanics during the repair process.

Pinkston was also too close to the opening in the mesh and leaned in while the machine was cycling on, the report says. The report also notes he could not have been struck at all had the mesh guard been put back in place.

He was taken by medical helicopter to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in critical condition where a Nissan spokeswoman said he died.

Person airlifted after accident at Smyrna Nissan plant

After the fatal accident, the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) responded to the scene to investigate the incident.

Bajaj said the plant continues to work on determining what can be done to prevent future occurrences.
ADVERTISING

In the inspection, Nissan did score high on their overall safety and health management program.

It is part of Nissan’s training procedures to replace machine guards before running a test cycle, according records of their procedures obtained by TOSHA inspectors.

According to the citation notes, the same Nissan plant was cited for not keeping an employee out of a testing area once before, in 2013. The plant was also cited in 2015 for failing to provide machine guarding in an incident that resulted in an employee losing a fingertip.

Additionally, employees interviewed during the investigation told a TOSHA inspector that machine guards sometimes are not replaced during a repair test when the guard is heavy.

And as of two weeks after Pinkston's death, inspectors reported they were not sure what efforts, if any, Nissan had made to correct the danger.

Pinkston's death marked the plant's third in five years.

In June 2013, Nissan maintenance technician Michael Hooper, 43, was involved in a fatal accident in the body assembly area of the Smyrna vehicle assembly plant.

Then in April 2013, an unidentified man, who worked for Nissan supplier Complete Automation, was killed when a large electrical panel fell while it was being moved.

In January 2012, contract driver Martin O'Connell, 50, of Murfreesboro was killed when he became trapped between his truck and a set of parked trailers.

========




A Smyrna Nissan Vehicle Assembly Plant employee killed at work this week has been identified by family as Dennis Pinkston and, according to new reports, he apparently died as a result of head trauma.

Pinkston, who lived in Murfreesboro, was fatally injured in an industrial accident Wednesday morning at the plant at 983 Nissan Drive.

According to Rutherford County dispatch report, emergency crews responded at 10:45 a.m. to the business for a report of an employee whose head had just been crushed in a machine.

He was taken by medical helicopter to Vanderbilt Medical Center in critical condition where a Nissan spokeswoman said he died.

Friends of Pinkston have created a Go Fund Me site to help pay for the cost of his funeral. As of Friday more then $18,000 of a $25,000 goal had been raised.

According to the site, Pinkston was a loving husband, father, son, brother, cousin and friend and "will be greatly missed by many."

Pinkston's brother Mark Little said funeral arrangements are pending. The funeral, he said, will be open to the public.

After the fatal accident, the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration (TOSHA) responded to the scene to investigate the incident.

A final TOSHA investigation report is expected to be released within six weeks.

Pinkston's death marked the third in five years at the plant.

In June 2013, Nissan maintenance technician Michael Hooper, 43, was involved in a fatal accident in the body assembly area of the Smyrna vehicle assembly plant

Then in April 2013, an unidentified man, who worked for Nissan supplier Complete Automation, was killed when a large electrical panel fell while it was being moved.

In January 2012, contract driver Martin O'Connell, 50, of Murfreesboro was killed when he became trapped between his truck and a set of parked trailers.