Wednesday, January 24, 2018

An explosion aboard the William E. Strait, a dry docked tow boat, Friday morning killed three and injured six.. Autopsies have been completed for the three people killed when a towboat exploded Friday on the Tennessee River in Marshall County.





Autopsies complete for 3 killed in boat explosion, investigation into cause continues

January 22, 2018
WPSD Staff

MARSHALL COUNTY, KY – Autopsies have been completed for the three people killed when a towboat exploded Friday in Marshall County.

Preliminary findings say each victim died from injuries suffered during the explosion.

A memorial service will soon be announced for one of the victims, Timothy Wright of Calvert City. Wright’s obituary says he worked as a welder for first marine in Calvert City. Lindsey Funeral Home of Paducah is in charge of arrangements.


These photos show James Lang (left) and Jimmy Lang.

Six people were injured in the blast. Among them were father and son Jimmy and James Lang.

The pair are contract workers who were on the upper deck of the towboat when the explosion happened.

We’ve been in contact with Willie Lang, who is Jimmy’s brother. Willie said James has burns all over his hands and face, as well as a broken foot. He said James underwent surgery over the weekend, and he is recovering at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Overall, Willie said said James is doing well.

Willie told us Jimmy is in stable condition Deaconess Midtown Hospital in Evansville, Indiana. Jimmy has several broken bones and internal injuries, including a collapsed lung. He’s out of surgery and doing well. Doctors plan to try to take his ventilator out Tuesday.

Kentucky State Police and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the cause of the explosion.

KSP spokesman Trooper Jody Cash says troopers are mostly gathering information at this time, and the more technical side of the investigation is in OSHA’s hands. Local 6’s Leah Shields reached out to OSHA during the day Monday, but she got an outgoing message that said they would not be able to get back to her Monday because of the government shutdown. Monday night, President Donald Trump signed a bill reopening the government.

State police confirm that OSHA investigators have been on scene since Friday. Cash says he’s been told that, even if some segments of OSHA were in limbo due to the shutdown, the investigation department continues.

So far, they are still working to find out the cause.



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KSP: No early indication of foul play in boat explosion on Tennessee River

January 19, 2018
Krystle Callais, Leanne Fuller



UPDATE: Kentucky State Police Post 1 has released more information about a boat explosion that killed three people and injured six others on the Tennessee River in Marshall County Friday morning.

In a news release sent Friday afternoon, KSP says the call reporting the explosion came in at 9:17 a.m. The boat was docked on a dry dock on Hollinger Road. More than a dozen local and state agencies responded. Not long after, state police were called in to investigate. The state law enforcement agency says its preliminary investigation shows the explosion happened inside the docked boat, which was being worked on at the time, and there is no early indication of foul play.

Troopers say some of the people hurt in the explosion suffered life-threatening injuries. The names of the people killed in the blast are not being released until authorities have notified their families.

KSP says the agencies that responded to the explosion were the Calvert City Fire Department, the Gilbertsville Fire Department, the East Marshall Fire Department, the Palma-Briensburg Fire Department, the Marshall County Rescue Squad, the Marshall County Office of Emergency Management, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, the Calvert City Police Department, the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Marshall County Ambulance Service, Livingston County EMS, Murray-Calloway County Ambulance Service, Mercy regional EMS, and Air Evac.

The U.S. Coast Guard has also been on the scene, and KSP says an investigator with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is expected to arrive soon.

The investigation is expected to go on into the night hours.

Local 6 reporter Bryce Mansfield brought us a briefing from KSP Detective Jody Cash live on Facebook Friday afternoon. If you missed it, you can watch that video below.



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MARSHALL COUNTY, KY – An explosion aboard the William E. Strait, a dry docked tow boat, Friday morning killed three and injured six. When the incident happened, 41 crew members were working on the vessel, according to Kentucky State Police, but not all of them were on the boat.

The boat was on Hollinger Road, along the Tennessee River.

The dock is owned by First Marine. The boat is owned by Smithland Towing. According to maritime-executive.com, it was previously owned by Western Rivers Boat Management in Paducah. Friday is not the boat’s first accident.


The “William E. Strait” sank 20 feet into the Mississippi River in December 2015.
Photo: WMC-TV

Memphis NBC affiliate, WMC-TV, reported in Dec. 2015 that the boat collided with another boat, causing it to sink 20 feet into the Mississippi River.

Brandon Langston is a friend to Tim Wright, the Calvert City man who died in the explosion. He says about Wright: “He was one of the greatest guys I knew. I worked with him a few years ago. I had the pleasure of meeting his wife, Rosey, as well. He was always in a good mood and always willing to help anyone. He will be missed by a bunch of people.”

Langston says Wright was “always involved in the toy runs for kids, always willing to do for others, and one of the greatest people you could ever meet.”

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky sent us this statement Friday night: “Kelley and I are saddened to hear about the tragic explosion in Calvert City this morning. Our thoughts, support, and prayers are with the victims and families of those who were lost.”