MEC&F Expert Engineers : 04/15/17

Saturday, April 15, 2017

Several homes damaged by fire in Paterson, New Jersey; fire started in abandoned building




 April 14, 2017

PATERSON, NEW JERSEY -

Firefighters are battling a blaze that has spread to several residential buildings in Paterson Friday afternoon.

The fire displaced five families, totaling 16 people, the Red Cross said.

The fire started around 2:30 p.m. on Rose Street and quickly jumped to two other houses.

Smoke from the blaze was visible for miles. Dozens of people have gathered on local streets as firefighters use ladder trucks to pour water on the blaze. Firefighters could also be seen on the roofs of nearby structures.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office said the fire started at a vacant building, 23 Rose St., before spreading to 21, 25 and 27 Rose St. All the structures but 27 Rose will be demolished due to extensive fire damage.

A firefighter suffered a non-life-threatening injury that was not considered serious, the prosecutor's office also said.

The fire raged as police were also investigated an officer-involved shooting Friday afternoon. The Passaic County Sheriff's Office was fielding some calls for service to assist Paterson police, the sheriff's office said.




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PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Rescuers scrambled to put out a fire that tore through several homes in Paterson on Friday.

Charred houses could be seen from Chopper 2.

CBS2’s Alice Gainer was on the scene, just a block away from Eastside High School, where the fire started in an abandoned home and quickly spread.

Neighbors said it’s been a problem property for a while now, and they’ve been complaining about squatters inside.

The fire broke out around 2:30, Friday afternoon.

The flames quickly jumped from house to house, and consumed four buildings.

A CBS2 news crew observed a firefighter on a stretcher being treated for smoke inhalation.

Emotional residents were beside themselves.

“We’ve been here for 16 years, so it’s home you know. It’s really tragic,” Jose Correa said.

Correa is frustrated because he said they’ve been complaining about the abandoned property where the fire began for awhile.

“December 23, there was a small incident, and now a couple months later it’s even worse. It’s an actual fire,” Correa said.

Councilman Luis Velez said the city has been addressing the issue by boarding up the property, but he said squatters break back in.

“I did address that problem back in December. That’s when we boarded it up, but we cannot put every police officer by abandoned houses. Report it again, we’ll come back and close it,” he said.

So far there have been only minor injuries from the fire. Everyone inside the homes made it out okay.

There were some tense moments for Chasity Rolon as she tried to locate her sister’s pet.

“I’m just trying to get my dog. That’s my niece, she’s been in the family since she was a baby,” she said.

The dog was found safe.

Firefighters were still working to get the fire out. They brought in an excavator to move debris and reach hot spots.

So far eight homes have been damaged, and sixteen people have been displaced. There were four minor injuries reported — two of those were to firefighters.

A pipe failure at the U.S. Steel plant released contaminated water to the wrong wastewater treatment plant at U.S. Steel Midwest and discharged into Burns Waterway










APRIL 14, 2017


U.S. Steel expected to begin phasing in operations Friday at the Portage facility that released a toxic chemical into Burns Waterway earlier this week as preliminary test results did not detect the carcinogen in the waterway or Lake Michigan.

According to an EPA statement Friday, preliminary results of water samples collected Wednesday that included the lake, the waterway, and Indiana American Water's intake did not indicate an impact from hexavalent chromium. All of the results were below the EPA's method detection limit of 1 part per billion. The agency has a national drinking water standard for total chromium of 100 parts per billion, including trivalent chromium and hexavalent chromium.

Three beaches in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, as well as one in Ogden Dunes and an intake for Indiana American Water, will remain closed for the time being, officials said.

Officials at the national lakeshore closed West Beach and the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk on Tuesday after learning of the chemical spill, caused by a pipe malfunction at the steel mill.
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APRIL 12, 2017

LAKE MICHIGAN

A spill at the U.S. Steel plant in Portage this week leaked a toxic chemical into Burns Waterway, a Lake Michigan tributary, forcing the closure of beaches in and around the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and leaving officials scrambling to determine the extent of damage caused to the local environment.

Low levels of the chemical hexavalent chromium, which is a carcinogen, were found in Lake Michigan, near the mouth of Burns Waterway, Sam Borries a branch chief for Region 5 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's emergency response program. It's unclear whether, or how far, the chemical traveled down the shoreline, but officials took 100 samples along the waterway east and west of its entry point to the lake and results are expected Thursday, Borries said.

"It will naturally reduce and stabilize on its own as it moves down the stream," Borries said.

A pipe failure at the steel plant led to the contaminated water being released to the wrong wastewater treatment plant at U.S. Steel Midwest and being discharged into Burns Waterway, according to a statement from Kelley Gannon, a U.S. Steel spokeswoman. The waterway is adjacent to the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk.

Hilcorp Alaska said that divers covered a gash at the bottom of the 8-inch diameter line in 80 feet of water at the Cook Inlet



ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Divers have placed a clamp over a hole in an underwater Alaska pipeline, stopping the flow of millions of cubic feet of natural gas into Cook Inlet, home to endangered beluga whales.

Hilcorp Alaska, a subsidiary of Houston-based Hilcorp, announced Friday that divers Thursday night covered a gash at the bottom of the 8-inch diameter line in 80 feet of water. They measured the hole at less than 0.5 square inches.


"A total of 12 dives were completed on the fuel gas line in order to locate the leak, then properly position, stabilize and prepare the pipeline for repair," Hilcorp spokeswoman Lori Nelson said by email.

Cook Inlet covers 180 miles from the Gulf of Alaska to Anchorage. A Hilcorp helicopter crew spotted gas bubbling from the line Feb. 7 about 4 miles offshore.

The pipeline carries processed natural gas to four production platforms, where it's burned to generate electricity. Analysis of gas flow indicated the pipeline probably started leaking in mid-December and initially spewed up to 310,000 cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Hilcorp lowered pressure in the line to reduce the daily flow to 85,000 to 115,000 cubic feet.

The inlet is notorious for extreme tides that produce strong currents. Hilcorp held off on repairs until the additional threat to divers of floating ice had diminished.




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Divers for Hilcorp halt monthslong Cook Inlet gas leak

Author: Alex DeMarban
Updated: 6 hours ago


Hilcorp Alaska has stopped a natural gas leak in Cook Inlet that released methane for months and generated concerns about impacts to wildlife and calls for increased scrutiny of the Inlet's dated oil and gas facilities.

Dive crews on Thursday night "safely and successfully" installed a clamp on the marine pipeline, Hilcorp said in a prepared statement.

The repair required multiple dives to the seafloor over the past week. State officials have said the damaged line is 80 feet deep.

Hilcorp will continue inspecting the 52-year-old pipeline and take additional steps to stabilize and protect it, the company said.

The subsea leak was discovered Feb. 7 but Hilcorp data showed it had been occurring since late December, according to federal pipeline regulators. The leak was northwest of Nikiski, about 3 1/2 miles off the coast.

Thick sea ice presented dangers to dive crews, delaying repairs for two months.

Bob Shavelson, with watchdog group Cook Inletkeeper, said Hilcorp's inability to repair the pipeline in winter is worrisome.

"If it takes Hilcorp months and months to shut in a leaky line, we need to re-evaluate whether they can operate in the Alaska winter," he said.

Hilcorp’s Platform A on April 2. A pipeline that delivers natural gas used as fuel for this platform and three others began leaking in December. (Bill Roth / Alaska Dispatch News)

With warming weather melting the sea ice enough by Saturday, divers began efforts in the murky water to find the damaged spot.

"A total of 12 dives were completed on the fuel gas line in order to locate the leak, then properly position, stabilize and prepare the pipeline for repair," Hilcorp said in the statement issued by spokeswoman Lori Nelson.

Divers installed a steel and rubber clamp over the leak, creating a seal that won't release liquids or gas, the company said. The gash, found on the bottom of the pipeline atop a boulder embedded in the seafloor, was initially estimated to be about 2 inches wide.

But closer inspection, after the pipe was lifted more than 1 foot off the seafloor, and after divers removed mineral buildup on the outside of the pipe, showed a smaller gash, less than a half-inch long and across.

The pipeline was the first installed in Cook Inlet in 1965 as the oil and gas industry was launching a rapid construction program in the basin. By the end of the decade, 14 production platforms were built.

Originally, the pipeline delivered oil to a shore-based processing facility, tapping the Middle Ground Shoal field, the first offshore discovery in Alaska, with Shell the operator at the time.

As facilities changed hands over the decades, the line in 2005 was converted to natural gas. It delivered fuel gas 7 miles to operations at Platform A, and also to other nearby production platforms at the field. Hilcorp Alaska acquired it in 2015 from XTO Energy.

Unable to immediately make dive repairs, Hilcorp, with approval from regulators, decided against completely shutting down the line. The company said it was concerned that residual oil left in the line could leak into the environment.

But after discussions with Gov. Bill Walker, Hilcorp in late March shut down the small oil production from the field. That allowed Hilcorp to significantly reduce the amount of fuel gas flowing through the line, and reduce the leak.

The 8-inch pipeline was originally installed next to an oil pipeline that still delivers crude oil today and has generated concerns among regulators and watchdogs that it too will leak, subject to the same threats that led to the gas line leak.

Hilcorp Alaska said it is taking steps to further inspect and protect the oil line from damage.

"Neither pipeline will be returned to regular service until Hilcorp, along with state and federal regulators, agree it is safe to do so," the company said.



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Updates: 04-14-2017

ANCHORAGE, AK – April 14, 2017 – Dive crews safely and successfully installed a clamp on the fuel gas line in Middle Ground Shoal last night, stopping the release of natural gas from the affected pipeline. Weather and ice conditions allowed divers to begin their work on Saturday, April 8. A total of 12 dives were completed on the fuel gas line in order to locate the leak, then properly position, stabilize and prepare the pipeline for repair.
The leak point was located on the very bottom of the pipeline, resting on a boulder embedded in the seafloor. Initial visual inspections noted the breach to be approximately 2” in size. The affected section of the line was lifted approximately 1.5’ from the seafloor, then stabilized, allowing for closer, more careful inspection of the leak site.
Divers removed scaling and cleaned the exterior of the line. Exact measurements of the breach were taken, recording the actual size at 3/16”W x 3/8”L. After proper cleaning and preparation, a steel and rubber clamp was installed over the leak. The clamp assures a gas tight, liquid tight seal that will reinforce the pipeline.
The repair operation was provided to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Now that the leak has been stopped, over the next several days, as weather permits, further inspection and stabilization of both the oil and gas pipelines in Middle Ground Shoal will be completed. Neither pipeline will be returned to regular service until Hilcorp, along with state and federal regulators, agree it is safe to do so.

Updates: 04-10-2017

ANCHORAGE, AK – April 10, 2017 – Hilcorp continues response efforts, in coordination with state and federal regulatory authorities, to repair an 8-inch natural gas pipeline in the Middle Ground Shoal area of the Cook Inlet.
Dive crews mobilized from Homer on Friday April 7th and have been able to safely work through the weekend. Divers have identified the leak location, and are working to prepare the site to
allow for the installation of a temporary clamp.

The leak point, approximately two inches in length, was noted to be on the very bottom of the pipeline resting on a boulder embedded in the seafloor.
Following completion of the initial repair, further inspection and work will be done to permanently repair the affected segment of pipe. The line will not be returned to service until permanent repairs have been completed, the line has been pressure tested, and regulators have approved a re-start.
We will provide further updates as new information becomes available.
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Updates: 03-27-2017

Hilcorp safely completed production shut-in procedures over the weekend in Middle Ground Shoal.  The gas pipeline is now operating at minimum pressure (65psi).  The reduced leak rate is estimated to be 85-115 thousand cubic feet per day.  Pumps are circulating filtered sea water through the adjacent oil pipeline to reduce the risk of freezing in the line.  Production will be restored  when Hilcorp, along with federal and state regulators, confirm that it is safe to do so.  Based on current weather forecasts and ice conditions Hilcorp expects to mobilize equipment and deploy divers to begin repair operations within the next 10 days.

Updates: 03-25-2017

ANCHORAGE, AK – March 25, 2017 – Hilcorp continues response efforts, in coordination with state and federal regulatory authorities, to repair an 8-inch natural gas pipeline in the Middle Ground Shoal area of the Cook Inlet.
After recent discussions with Governor Walker and meetings with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the parties have agreed to reduce the pressure in the gas pipeline to approximately 65 psi. This will necessitate shutting in oil production from Middle Ground Shoal platforms A & C.  Hilcorp appreciates the proactive and transparent way Governor Walker has expressed his concerns regarding this matter.
Previous weather conditions have prevented Hilcorp from shutting in oil production at an earlier date. Shutting in wells and idling lines and equipment in very cold temperatures create a known risk of freeze-up and potential rupture.  Warmer ambient temperatures now permit a safer shut in process of the wells along with the associated lines and equipment.
Shutting in oil production allows the gas pipeline to operate with 65 psi, the minimum positive pressure.  Minimum positive pressure is necessary to prevent water from entering the line and a potential washout of the residual crude oil that remains in the pipeline.  Further, maintaining minimum pressure on the line will allow for the platforms to run essential equipment and safety systems.
As Hilcorp works with state and federal agencies to finalize the plan to reduce gas line pressure, shut-in production and repair the pipeline, the safety of personnel, wildlife and the environment remain the top priority.
Planning and preparations have already begun, and once approved by the regulators, shut-in procedures will begin this weekend.
Hilcorp’s response team and the necessary equipment are ready to immediately commence repair operations as soon as it can be done safely.  Based on current weather forecasts Hilcorp anticipates repair operations to occur in the next two weeks.
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Updates: 03-24-2017

ANCHORAGE, AK – Hilcorp continues response efforts, in coordination with state and federal regulatory authorities, to repair an 8-inch natural gas pipeline in the Middle Ground Shoal area of the Cook Inlet.
Weather and ice conditions allowed the sampling and monitoring programs approved by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) to begin on March 18th.
Water quality data was collected by floating a sampling buoy directly downstream from the identified leak location. Initial laboratory results from numerous samples taken in the area of the leak showed no meaningful adverse impacts to water quality. The full sampling report was provided to ADEC on March 22nd. Samples were consistent with previous modeling and, to date, all water samples have measured notably better than ADEC’s minimum Water Quality Standards for Coastal Marine Waters. Hilcorp believes the samples also demonstrate that current water quality does not pose a threat to wildlife. As an added precaution, certified marine mammal and wildlife observers will continue to monitor the leak site and surrounding areas.
Hilcorp will continue our monitoring program and we will be working with ADEC to review the data we collect. Air and Water Interface Sampling equipment is being calibrated and is expected to deploy today.
Ice conditions continue to delay our repair operations. However, the weather forecasts have improved and based on these current forecasts Hilcorp anticipates repair operations to occur in the next two weeks.
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Updates: 03-17-2017

Hilcorp will work with PHMSA and other state and federal agencies to ensure a thorough and timely response to the concerns in the proposed order. Hilcorp continues to focus on addressing the natural gas pipeline leak and ensuring the safety of our responders in the field.
The “B” pipeline currently transports produced fluid to shore and is operating normally. The steel pipeline is 8” in diameter and 8.6 miles in length. Hilcorp acquired the pipeline in September 2015 at which time the company completed a successful pressure test on the line.

Updates: 03-14-2017

Hilcorp has reduced the operating pressure of the line to limit the volume of the natural gas release and to maintain sufficient pressure to prevent water intrusion into the line.
Ice conditions continue to delay repair operations at this time. Hilcorp is conducting frequent ice observations utilizing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration guidelines. Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council has also provided access to its ice camera network to assist with that effort.
Hilcorp’s response team is ready and the necessary equipment has been staged to commence repair operations as soon as conditions permit a safe working environment for response personnel. Once conditions allow for safe operations, Hilcorp will undertake repairs which will take several days.
Hilcorp conducted baseline air and water sampling, and continues to conduct direct observation of the affected area, and impact modeling of the natural gas release. To date, no significant impacts to wildlife or the environment have been observed and the release does not pose a threat to the general public.
Today the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation gave preliminary approval to Hilcorp’s broader sampling and monitoring program that was submitted last week. We will begin implementing the monitoring program in several stages as conditions allow using marine vessels, buoys and other equipment.  Additional updates will be provided as significant new information is available.

Updates: 03-08-2017

Based upon observations to date, the release does not pose a threat to the public nor the environment, however ensuring the safety of our response personnel is our top priority as we proceed. We are pleased that PHMSA’s Proposed Safety Order acknowledges this, recognizing that immediate repair is not a viable option due to current conditions and concerns for the safety of personnel.  Hilcorp will continue to work with PHMSA and other state and federal agencies to ensure a thorough and timely response.  Hilcorp’s focus right now is addressing the natural gas pipeline leak and ensuring the safety of our responders in the field.  An investigation into the timing and cause of the leak is currently underway.

Updates: 02-15-2017

We will continue to monitor ice conditions and will dispatch divers when it is safe to do so.  The safety of our people and the environment remains our priority as we work with the proper authorities on how to best manage this situation. It is important to note that this fuel gas line, which brings natural gas from the shore to Platforms A and C, provides for the safe operation of both platforms and shutting in the line would put the it at risk of taking in water, freezing and potentially rupturing.

Updates: 02-15-2017

The natural gas currently flowing through the line provides power to four offshore platforms:  Baker, Dillon, A & C.  At present, ice conditions in Cook Inlet continue to prevent divers from accessing the pipeline safely.  The safety of our personnel and the environment remain a top priority as we work to respond to the leak.  It is estimated the leak volume is approximately 210 -310 thousand cubic feet of natural gas per day.  Hilcorp’s platform crews have shut down non-essential equipment.  This step has been taken in order to reduce natural gas flow to the minimum operational gas pressure possible without jeopardizing employee safety or the environment.  However, maintaining positive pressure in the flow line is necessary to ensure any residual hydrocarbons are not released to the Inlet.  If a minimum pressure is not maintained in the pipeline it could fill with water which would allow for the escape of residual crude oil, as this line was previously used as a crude oil pipeline.  Daily overflights above the line are being conducted.  No sheen on the water surface has been observed to date. Shutting in the pipeline presents safety risks for our people, the environment, and has the potential to further damage offshore infrastructure. We will continue to monitor ice conditions and line pressure while working with the appropriate agencies on our response.

Insurance broker 43-year-old Rosita Johns collected nearly $70,000 from a construction company but never obtained any worker's comp insurance for them.



BUCKEYE, AZ - If this woman sold you insurance, you may want to call and make sure your policy is active.

Court records show that a Buckeye woman stole nearly $70,000 from an Arizona construction company in an insurance fraud scheme.

The Arizona Department of Insurance says that 43-year-old Rosita Johns was an insurance broker who assisted clients in obtaining insurance. She approached a construction company, selling them workman's compensation and car insurance. Investigators say that over a two year period she collected nearly $70,000 from the company but never obtained any insurance for them.

The company found out recently when an injured worker was sent to the hospital and was told there was no insurance policy in place.

The company was also fined $15,000 by the estate of Nevada for not having workman's compensation insurance, which is required by law.

Johns was arrested at her home in Buckeye on April 5 and has been charged with fraudulent schemes and theft.

Evan Pescatore, 35, and his parents Frank Pescatore, 70, and Janice Pescatore, 64, of Asbury Park: CROOKED ITALIAN FAMILY INDICTED ON INSURANCE FRAUD CHARGES





HIGHLANDS – A Highlands man and his parents have been indicted by a state grand jury in connection to a $4 million insurance fraud scheme.

Evan Pescatore, 35, and his parents Frank Pescatore, 70, and Janice Pescatore, 64, of Asbury Park, are accused of illegally providing people free, high-value life insurance policies in order to collect the lucrative commissions on those policies from the insurance companies, according to a statement from the office of Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino. The trio allegedly then used those proceeds to pay off loans that covered the premiums on the policies.

The scheme involved 18 policies issued by eight insurance companies with a face value totaling $61.5 million.

“This family allegedly conspired in a criminal plot to file more than a dozen fraudulent insurance applications that cost numerous insurance companies millions of dollars in ill-gotten commissions, rebates, and free-short-term insurance,” Porrino said in the statement. “Though the alleged scheme was complicated, the defendants carefully shepherded illicit funds through a series of transactions, knowing that they would reap hundreds of thousands of dollars in undeserved commissions along the way.”

Each was charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit money laundering and two-counts of second-degree money laundering in an indictment handed up Wednesday, according to the statement.

Evan Pescatore was also charged with first-degree money laundering. He and his father were also each charged with second-degree insurance fraud, theft by deception, conspiracy to commit insurance fraud and conspiracy to commit theft by deception.


Frank Pescatore, 70, of Asbury Park. (Photo: Office of the New Jersey Attorney General)

According to prosecutors, Evan Pescatore and his father approached 13 "applicants" and offered them “free insurance” and the option to sell their policy in the future for profit.

Evan Pescatore and his father misrepresented to the insurance companies that the applicants would pay for their own policies, according to the statement. Instead, Evan Pescatore took out loans ranging from $15,000 to $582,520 to pay for the premiums on the policies.

When the insurance companies sent more than $3 million in commissions to Evan Pescatore, he and his parents transferred or assisted in transferring the money to lenders in order to repay the loans for the insurance premiums, according to the statement.

The insurance companies also paid other commissions, totaling more than $1 million, connected with the policies; half of those proceeds were allegedly passed along to Evan Pescatore soon thereafter.

The practice of getting people to apply for life insurance by paying their premiums is known as "rebating" and is illegal, the statement said.


Janice Pescatore, 64, of Asbury Park. (Photo: Office of the New Jersey Attorney General)

The polices were issued by AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, Minnesota Life Insurance Company, Lincoln Benefit Life Insurance Company, Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America, Zurich American Life Insurance Company, Genworth Life Insurance Company, Royal Neighbors of America, and Banner Life Insurance Company.

First degree crimes carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $500,000, according to the statement. 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.

“Rebating fraud is a costly problem for insurance companies but the ultimate victim is the consumer," Acting Insurance Fraud Investigator Christopher Iu said in the statement. "They’re the ones who pay the price in the form of higher premiums. These indictments should serve as a warning that we will not allow criminals to get rich by cheating the insurance system and driving up costs for honest policy holders.”

People who are concerned about insurance fraud and have information about a fraud can report it anonymously by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD, or visiting the Web site at www.NJInsurancefraud.org. There can be a reward for those who provide information that leads to an arrest, prosecution and conviction for insurance fraud.

Adalina E. Donoso, 18 and Kody R. Dietrich, 18 poisoned to death by carbon monoxide inhalation after the manifold was not connected to the exhaust tailpipe because of recent do-it-yourself work performed on the car






AT LEAST THEY DIED FUCKING AND IN EACH OTHER'S ARMS.  RIP


ST. CHARLES, ILLINOIS – 


Two teens found naked and dead in a car March 16 were poisoned by carbon monoxide, according to a news release from the Kane County Coroner’s Office.



Adalina E. Donoso, 18, of Racine, Wisconsin, and Kody R. Dietrich, 18, of St. Charles were found naked (obviously fucking) in the back seat of a car parked in a parking lot in the first block of North 17th Street shortly after 8 a.m. Toxicology tests performed on their bodies found that carbon monoxide caused their deaths, the coroner’s office said in a news release.

“The toxicology results showed elevated carboxyhemoglobin levels. No other substances were found in the results,” the news release said. “The cause of death for these two individuals has been determined to be carbon monoxide intoxication.”

Police said that an investigation of the 2001 Toyota Camry vehicle found that the manifold was not connected to the exhaust tailpipe because of recent do-it-yourself work performed on the car, which caused the exhaust to empty into the engine compartment instead of out the tailpipe, according to the release.

– Daily Chronicle

With the assistance of the St. Charles Fire Department, police said their investigators conducted a test with the vehicle, and after 35 minutes with the engine running, carbon monoxide levels of 1,180 parts per million were recorded, according to the report, which noted that any concentration above 30 ppm is considered hazardous.

The findings of the investigators are consistent with the coroner’s report, according to the release.

“This was a tragic accident, and it was not intentional,” Deputy Police Chief Dave Kintz said in an email Tuesday.

An autopsy performed March 17 found no signs of trauma or foul play.




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ST. CHARLES – A cause of death has been determined for Adalina Elizabeth Donoso, 18, of Racine, Wis., and Kody R. Dietrich, 18, of St. Charles, who were found unresponsive in a car in St. Charles on March 16.



"In reference to the March 16, 2017, deaths of Kody Dietrich and Adalina Donoso, the toxicology reports have been received at the Kane County Coroner’s Office," stated a news release from the Coroner's Office. "The toxicology results showed elevated carboxyhemoglobin levels. No other substances were found in the results. The cause of death for these two individuals has been determined to be carbon monoxide intoxication."

At 8:08 a.m. March 16, the St. Charles Police and Fire departments responded to a call of a suspicious vehicle parked in the 0-99 block of North 17th Street.

Officers found two people in the back seat of the car, unresponsive, stated a news release from the police department. Officers and fire department personnel began life-saving measures. The two occupants were transported to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, where they were pronounced dead, according to the release.

Investigators conducted a search of the vehicle, looking at the 2001 Toyota Camry automobile for clues to what happened, stated an April 11 release from the police department. They discovered that the manifold was not connected to the exhaust tailpipe because of recent do-it-yourself work performed on the car, which caused the exhaust to empty into the engine compartment instead of out the tailpipe, according to the release.

With the assistance of the St. Charles Fire Department, investigators conducted a test with the vehicle, and after 35 minutes with the engine running, carbon monoxide levels of 1,180 parts per million were recorded, according to the report, which noted that any concentration above 30 ppm is considered hazardous.

The findings of the investigators are consistent with the coroner’s report, according to the release.

"This was a tragic accident, and it was not intentional," Deputy Chief Dave Kintz stated in an April 11 email.

An autopsy was performed March 17 at the Kane County Morgue. There were no signs of trauma or obvious foul play.
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Kody Dietrich (18) and his girlfriend Adalina Donoso (18) were found naked and dead in the backseat of their vehicle

Filed Under:
Published: Mar 23, 2017 @ 3:58 PM




Kody Dietrich (18) Date: Mar 16, 2017
Cause of Death: Unknown
Location: St Charles, Illinois
 




Adalina Dofonso (18) Date: Mar 16, 2017
Cause of Death: Unknown
Location: St Charles, Illinois
 
Students at an Illinois high school are in mourning after three of their peers died in two horrific incidents less than a week apart.

According to police, 16-year-old twins Brittany and Tiffany Coffland were killed at the hands of their own father last Friday evening.

After shooting his two daughters, investigators say the girls' father shot his wife in the legs before taking his own life. The girls' mother was the only survivor.

"She was just a joy to work with. Everybody loved her there," one of Brittany's friends told WGN-TV outside of a visitation service for the twins.

Days later, 18-year-old junior Kody Dietrich was found dead with his girlfriend, 18-year-old Adalina Donoso. An employee at a nearby restaurant called police after seeing the two teens naked in the back of a parked car.

"We've been really upset about it," a St. Charles East High School student said.

The school has provided grief counseling services and therapy dogs for students and faculty in the wake of the two tragedies.

64-year-old Judy Robinson succumbed to smoke inhalation when her home caught fire in Beaver Township, Ohio




Coroner: Smoke caused death of Beaver Township woman 


 Updated: Apr 12, 2017 10:30 AM EST

  BEAVER TWP., Ohio -

The Mahoning County Coroner's Office has confirmed the identity of a body found inside a burning Beaver Township home last week.

An autopsy conducted by the Cuyahoga County Medical examiner's office has determined that 64-year-old Judy Robinson succumbed to smoke inhalation when her Forest Avenue home caught fire on April 7.

Dental records were used to confirm the victim's identity, according to the coroner who is still waiting for the results of toxicology testing.

First firefighters on the scene reported that the home was already engulfed in flames.

An investigators from Ohio Fire Marshal's office is still working to determine the cause of the fire that destroyed the home.

Timothy Stockslager died while mowing grass after the mower overturned into a pond and trapped him under the water in Manheim Township, PA




GLEN ROCK, Pa. (WHTM) – Police say the death of a York County man who was found trapped under a mower in a pond appears to be accidental.

The York County coroner’s office is still investigating the exact cause of Timothy Stockslager’s death. An autopsy was performed Thursday, but the cause and manner of death are pending additional tests.

Stockslager, 54, of Heidelberg Township, was mowing grass Monday in the 6000 block of Hokes Road in Manheim Township when for unknown reasons the mower overturned into the pond and trapped him under the water, police said.

Two people entered the water and freed Stockslager, and firefighters revived him before he was taken to Hanover Hospital, police said. He died at the hospital Wednesday morning.



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GLEN ROCK, Pa. (WHTM) – An autopsy is scheduled for Thursday morning to determine what caused the death of a York County man.

York County Coroner Pam Gay said 54-year-old Timothy Stockslager was mowing a property in the 6000 block of Hoke’s Mill Road in Manheim Township on Monday and was found in a pond underneath the mower.

The coroner said Stockslager was seen mowing about 10 minutes before he was found.

It is not known how he ended up in the pond. He did not live at the property where he was working.

Stockslager, of Heidelberg Township, was taken to Hanover Hospital and died Wednesday evening.


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A Heidelberg Township man died after being found in a pond under a lawn tractor, according to the York County Coroner's Office.

Timothy Stockslager, 54, was seen mowing in the 6000 block of Hoke's Road in Manheim Township about 10:10 a.m. Monday. At 10:21 a.m., he was found in a pond on the property, with the lawn tractor on top of him, Coroner Pam Gay said in a news release Thursday.

Emergency medical personnel and Southwestern Regional Police were called to the scene and began resuscitation efforts on Stockslager, the coroner said.

Despite treatment, Stockslager died at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Gay said.

Southwestern Regional Police said two people spotted Stockslager submerged in the pond. They got him to dry land and started CPR, police said.

A Lineboro, Maryland, fire/rescue crew was able to revive Stockslager at the scene, but he later died at Hanover Hospital, according to police.

"The exact cause of death is still pending but by all accounts (it) is accidental in nature," police wrote in a news release.

An autopsy was performed Thursday at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown.

The cause and manner of death are pending the results of toxicology testing, Gay said.