MEC&F Expert Engineers : 04/21/18

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Female passenger Margaret Peggy M. Musto, 65, killed after a piece of metal struck the engine hood of her 2017 Lexus, then penetrated the windshield and struck her on the Howard Frankland Bridge in Florida







A chunk of metal was thrown up and through the windshield by another vehicle, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL – The passenger in a car was critically injured Wednesday (April 4) by a piece of metal that hit her when it crashed through the windshield, the Florida Highway Patrol said.

Margaret Musto, 65, of St. Petersburg, was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa in critical condition.

The incident happened about 11:15 a.m. on the Pinellas side of northbound I-275 on the Howard Frankland Bridge. Troopers said Glen Musto, 62, of St. Petersburg, was driving a 2017 Lexus RX300 approaching the hump of the bridge behind a vehicle described as a red sedan.

The sedan ran over a piece of metal laying in the roadway, which, when hit, was propelled toward the Lexus. The metal hit the Lexus’ hood, then penetrated the windshield and hit Ms. Musto.

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Florida Highway Patrol said a woman has died after a person driving ran over a piece of metal that launched backward and pierced through a windshield earlier this month.

The incident occurred in Pinellas County on April 4 on the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 on the Howard Frankland Bridge. The victim identified as Margaret Musto died on Saturday.

FHP said a red sedan ran over the piece of metal while approaching a hump on the bridge.

"The metal struck the engine hood ... then penetrated the windshield and struck the passenger," FHP said in a statement.


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Margaret ("Peggy") Marie Kline Musto, 65, passed away on Saturday, April 14th in St. Petersburg, Florida. She was the wife of Glenn Musto as well as the mother of Christopher Musto and Lauren Musto. Glenn and Peggy shared 37 years of marriage. Born in Huntington, Indiana, Peggy was the daughter of Guinevere Anne Miller Kline Schaefer and Edwin Rogers. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in Speech Pathology from the University of South Florida. Later, she built a reputation in the Tampa Bay Area as a talented interior decorator, real estate agent and home stager, and at the time of her passing was considered Pinellas County's #1 home stager. Peggy was a loving, dedicated wife and mother. She had a creative, light-hearted spirit with an inspiring, positive attitude. She was a two-time cancer survivor and dedicated much of her free time to cancer awareness and support. She also enjoyed art, restaurants, and traveling with her family to places like New York City, Paris and Ojai. She made the world a more beautiful place not only through her work and various artistic endeavors, but even more notably through the breadth and depth of her personal relationships with family and friends. She is survived by her husband, Glenn Musto, her two adult children, Christopher Musto and Lauren Musto, her daughter-in-law, Heather Musto, and her future grandson Teddy. The funeral service will be held on Saturday, April 21st at 2pm at the Garden of Memories Funeral Home, 4207 E. Lake Drive, Tampa, FL, 33610. Flowers may be sent to Garden of Memories. 

Wells Fargo employee Jennifer Riordan, 43, died of blunt impact trauma of head, neck and torso when a Southwest Airlines jet engine failed midair and its debris blew up a window and she was sucked out of the shattered window








PHILADELPHIA, PA — Jennifer Riordan, a well-known leader and altruist from New Mexico, died Tuesday when a Southwest Airlines jet engine failed midair and its debris blew up a window.

The coroner said Riordan, 43, died of blunt impact trauma of head, neck and torso.

Riordan was making her way back home to Albuquerque, New Mexico, when a terrifying episode ensued about 20 minutes after her plane left New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

Passengers had to pull her back into the plane when she was sucked out of the shattered window. She died at a Philadelphia hospital after the plane made an emergency landing, authorities said.  


Hers was the first death from an in-flight incident in company history, the airline said.

Riordan had dedicated her life to philanthropy, helping others in Albuquerque and the Southwest region, colleagues said.

In her role as vice president of community relations at Wells Fargo in Albuquerque, Riordan managed the volunteer service of more than 1,000 employees since 2008, according to her LinkedIn profile.

In a statement, Wells Fargo called her “a well-known leader who was loved and respected.”

Government officials in New Mexico also mourned Riordan’s death.  

“This is a tremendous and tragic loss for Jennifer’s family and many others throughout our city,” Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller said in a statement.

“Her leadership and philanthropic efforts made this a better place every day and she will be terribly missed. We are holding Jennifer and her family in our thoughts.”

Riordan is survived by two children and her husband, Michael Riordan, who was once the chief operating officer for the city of Albuquerque, CNN affiliate KOAT reported.

Riordan volunteered at her children’s school, the Annunciation Catholic School in Albuquerque. The school said it was “devastated to lose an integral member of our school community.”

“She was seen on campus almost daily supporting her beautiful children. She provided encouragement to everyone with whom she came in contact,” the school said. “Her positive motivating spirit will be missed. As a community, we will keep Jennifer and her family in prayer.”

Riordan was also a parishioner at Our Lady of the Annunciation Catholic Church in Albuquerque, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe said.

“We pray for the repose of her soul and for her dear loved ones,” church leaders said.

In addition to church and school activities, Riordan had also served on several boards, including the University of New Mexico Alumni Association and the New Mexico Broadcasters Association.

One of her past employers, the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, described her as an “amazing community leader, team member, wife and mother.”

“Her passion for our community, our students and our future was unwavering,” the health center said in a statement.

She graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications and had an associate’s degree from Champlain College in Vermont, according to Mission: Graduate, an initiative of the United Way of Central New Mexico.

27-year-old Thomas Martinez-Cruz and 21-year-old Reina Ortiz-Rodriguez were killed in a crash around 3 a.m. near Route 55 in Bellmawr, NJ when an SUV traveling northbound on 42 crashed into an overturned asphalt dump truck






Fatal crash closes Route 42 northbound in Bellmawr, New Jersey. Gray Hall reports during Action News at 6 a.m. on April 21, 2018.


Saturday, April 21, 2018 01:54PM
BELLMAWR, N.J. (WPVI) --



Route 42 northbound has been reopened after a fatal crash took place early Saturday morning in Camden County.

New Jersey State Police confirm two people were killed in a crash around 3 a.m. near Route 55 in Bellmawr.

According to police, a car was entering the northbound lanes of 42 from Route 55 when they crashed into an asphalt dump truck.

The impact of the crash caused the dump truck to overturn, injuring the truck driver.

Meanwhile, an SUV traveling northbound on 42 crashed into the overturned truck.

The driver and a back seat passenger of that SUV died in the crash.

Two other passengers were injured.

The crash remains under investigation.



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April 21 2018


BELLMAWR, N.J. (WTXF) - Police are investigating following an overnight crash that left two dead and three injured in Bellmawr, New Jersey.

Around 3:30 a.m., a Nissan Sentra entering from Route 55 to Route 42 northbound struck a dump truck. The impact of the crash caused the dump truck to overturn, spilling asphalt onto the road.

A Chevy traveling in the left lane struck the dump truck, ejecting the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Police have since identified the driver as 27-year-old Thomas Martinez-Cruz of Philadelphia.

A rear seat passenger, 21-year-old Reina Ortiz-Rodriguez of Philadelphia, was also killed in the crash.

Two other passengers in Martinez-Cruz's car remain in serious condition at Cooper University Hospital.

The driver of the dump truck also remains in serious condition. The driver of the Nissan was not injured.

Route 42 northbound closed for several hours following the crash but has since reopened.

This is an ongoing investigation.

2 people seriously injured after gas explosion and subsequent fire destroy a home at 121 Vernon Way in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey














An explosion ripped through a house in New Jersey on Saturday as a family was having a sleepover party, according to authorities and media reports. At least 13 people were hurt.

Two people were critically injured in the fire as the home on Vernon Way in the Port Reading section of Woodbridge was engulfed in flames by 10 a.m., according to NBC 4 New York. The people in the house ranged in age from 2 to 60, and NBC4 said some of them slept over after a family party. Some wore pajamas as they fled the scene.

"It came from the basement, the first thing that went is the boiler blew through the floor," Marcos Mercado, 23, told NBC4. "It was a big hole in the floor right next to my niece and her hair was on fire. She put it out while she was running out the house."

Mercado says two of his uncles were flown to the hospital, according to report; police said they had severe burns. Neighbors described hearing a loud boom and seeing the house immediately engulfed in flames.

One uncle, Jim Baker, was in the basement when the explosion went off, suffering severe burns, according to PIX11. He was airlifted to Saint Barnabas Hospital in Livingston while another uncle, Lawton Reed, was found on fire; Reed was airlifted to RWJ University Hospital New Brunswick.

Relatives and friends were staying over to celebrate Daniel Davis' 10th birthday. When he woke up to the blaze, he reacted by getting his younger brothers and cousin out of the house, according to PIX11

."When the explosion happened we were all asleep. We just felt fire. And my nieces hair was on fire. My uncle came from the basement on fire. His head was flames. And my brother put him out," Andre Baker told PIX11.

Firefighters were called to the 100 block of Vernon Way on reports of a fire with possible trapped and injured occupants, according to RLS Media. Upon arrival, firefighters observed flames shooting from the windows of a wood framed residential home; crews were able to bring the fire under control shortly before noon.


Neighbors rushed over as adults and teens ran from the burning home – some in their pajamas, CBS2's Dave Carlin reported. "Just flames, it was just totally engulfed in a matter of seconds," resident Al Audinis said.

Some of the victims said that, before the blast, there was a smell of gas, according to the report. "They said they had been smelling gas in their home. So I think it's important that if you can smell something, definitely say something. Otherwise something like this could happen," resident Jason Peake said.


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By Eyewitness News
Updated 19 mins ago
WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (WABC) -- Two people were seriously injured after a gas explosion and fire completely destroyed a New Jersey home Saturday morning.

Woodbridge Township residents said they heard a loud bang and saw flames shooting out of the home at 121 Vernon Way in Port Reading around 9:50 a.m.  Some residents said they thought they smelled gas prior to the explosion.

When firefighters arrived on scene, the home was completely engulfed in flames. One neighbor said the entire bottom floor of the house was engulfed in a matter of seconds.

Two people were seriously injured and transported to St. Barnabas Hospital, officials said. There may be additional victims.

The cause of the explosion is most likely leaking gas. The gas explosion then caused the fire. An investigation is ongoing.

The property is onwed by

SINGH, TAJINDER
11138 MAYNARD PL
HOUSTON TX, 770641723





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WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP, New Jersey

An explosion that ripped through a house in Woodbridge Township had emergency responders on the scene Saturday morning.

According to preliminary reports, firefighters were called to the 100 block of Vernon Way for reports of a fire with possible trapped and injured occupants.

Upon arrival, firefighters observed flames shooting from the windows of a wood framed residential home at around 10 a.m.

The house ultimately exploded during the course of the fire reports said.

Two victims suffering serious burns were airlifted to the hospital where the extent of their injuries have not been released.

Crews were able to bring the fire under control shortly before noon.

The cause is under investigation.

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WOODBRIDGE, NJ -

Two people were severely burned and several others were injured after a home exploded and burst into flames Saturday morning.

Al Odenis tells News 12 that he was mowing his lawn across the street from a Woodbridge home when he heard a loud explosion just before 10 a.m.

Neighbors described the scene as mayhem, with huge flames, black smoke and a shell of a house by the time firefighters arrived on scene.

The fire crews arrived within minutes of the fire starting, but the fire managed to burn down the house, according to neighbors.

“Within moments the whole house was just engulfed in flames,” he says. Odenis goes on to describe watching someone being dragged out of the home and across the street.

News 12 has learned that neighbor Anthony Hart was the individual who pulled a man, who is also an amputee, from the flames.

Woodbridge emergency officials say the man who Hart pulled out was airlifted to St. Barnabas for third-degree burns. Several other family members suffered minor injuries.

Neighbors say a large family lived in the house and reportedly, one of the children said they smelled gas for the past few days.

Fire Capt. Richard Fritzsch says the bravery of quick-acting neighbors helped save lives.

Fire investigators say it is too soon to determine what caused the explosion. They are working on determining the cause (which is most likely a gas leak).

Danny Ray Koster, a 60-year old employee of the Atlas Welding Supply Co. in Tuscaloosa, Alabama died after he was trapped under an overturned forklift and went into cardiac arrest








Danny Ray Koster


TUSCALOOSA - Danny Ray Koster, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., passed away April 16, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, April 21, 2018, at Little Sandy Baptist Church in Duncanville, Ala. with Dr. D.J. Horton officiating. Burial will follow in the adjoining cemetery with Tuscaloosa Memorial Chapel directing. Visitation will be one hour prior to services. 


He was preceded in death by his parents, John Carl Koster and Mary Frances Koster; and brother, James Carl Koster. 


Survivors include his wife, Shirley Diane Koster of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; sons, John William Koster (Stephanie) and Jeffrey Daniel Koster (Paige), both of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; sister, Frances Elaine Shealy; brother, John Wayne Koster; and grandchildren, Korben, Wyatt and Rose Koster.


Mr. Koster was born in Tuscaloosa and attended Holt High School. He started working at Koster Radiator in 1971 at the age of 12. He ran and operated the shop as a partner for over 30 years until it was sold. He was married over 40 years to his wife, Shirley.


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By Stephanie Taylor / Staff Writer


Posted Apr 18, 2018 at 2:58 PM Updated Apr 18, 2018 at 9:59 PM


Tuscaloosa, AL:
 
Officials are investigating the death of an Atlas Welding employee who died on the job Monday.

Tuscaloosa Fire and Rescue Service paramedics responded to a 911 call that a man was trapped under a forklift that had flipped Monday afternoon. Firefighters arrived to find that the man, 60, was in cardiac arrest, said Fire Marshal Gene Holcomb, a TFRS spokesman.

The forklift had been removed before firefighters’ arrival. Crews briefly treated the man at the business, in the 3500 block of Greensboro Avenue, before he was taken to DCH Regional Medical Center and pronounced dead.

An Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigation and autopsy by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences will be conducted.

Atlas Welding Supply Co. President Bill Visintainer issued a statement Wednesday.

“On Monday, April 16, an employee of Atlas sustained a fatal injury as a result of an accident involving the operation of a forklift,” he said. “We are fully cooperating with local and state officials on the investigation into the incident. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of our employee. We care about our employees, and we care about the community. We are committed to operating our facility in a safe and responsible fashion.”



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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating after an employee at a Tuscaloosa company died in a forklift accident Monday.

Atlas Welding Supply Co., located on Greensboro Avenue in Tuscaloosa, was the site of the incident involving a forklift. Tuscaloosa Fire Marshal Gene Holcomb said an employee got trapped under a forklift, then went into cardiac arrest. The 60-year-old man’s name has not been released.





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OSHA estimates forklifts cause about 85 fatal accidents per year; 34,900 accidents result in serious injury; and 61,800 are classified as non-serious. According to the Industrial Truck Association, there are about 855,900 forklifts in the U.S. Therefore, over 11% of all forklifts will be involved in some type of accident each year (assuming only one accident per forklift).
The ITA also reports that the useful life of a lift truck is about 8 years. This means that about 90% of all forklifts will be involved in some type of accident during their useful life--again assuming only one accident per forklift. If you operate this equipment, there is a possibility that you may have an accident at some point during your career. To help reduce the possibility of being injured, it's important to understand where and how these accidents occur.


Fatal forklift accident causes and where they occur:




Fatal Accident Type


Crushed by vehicle tipping over
42%


Crushed between vehicle and a surface
25%


Crushed between two vehicles
11%

Struck or run over by a forklift
10%



Struck by falling material
8%


Fall from platform on the forks
4%



Where fatalities occur
Manufacturing
42.5%

 Wholesale trades
12.5%
Retail trade
9.0%

Construction
23.8%

Transportation
11.0%

Mining
1.2%


Preventing these accidents:
 
Studies show that many of these accidents could have been prevented by better training. No one starts out with the innate knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely operate a forklift. As OSHA requires, drivers must be properly trained to do so. The lesson to be learned is, operating a forklift without training is dangerous and can even be fatal to you or other employees working in the area.


Training can also prevent or reduce the severity of an accident related to the stability of a lift truck traveling with an elevated load. Keep the load as low as possible to increase vehicle stability and to help prevent tip-over accidents. Even if drivers ignore this rule, and the vehicle tips over, injuries are usually minor if they stay with the vehicle instead of jumping off. The normal tendency is for a person to jump downward, so the driver lands on the floor or ground--usually directly into the path of the overhead guard. 







The most common result is a crushing injury to the head, neck, or back where the overhead guard strikes the employee.

42% of forklift fatalities are caused by the operator trying to jump from a tipping vehicle. To keep this from happening to you, always remember to keep the load as low as possible and stay with the vehicle if it tips over. Wearing your seat belt is the best safety measure!


Concern for pedestrians should also be of top priority for forklift operators and their employer. Many of the reported forklift workplace incidents involve non-drivers – so called pedestrians. Having their feet run over by careless forklift drivers account for 20% of these injuries and 16% occur when pedestrians are struck and crushed by operator recklessness.


A few things that forklift operators can do to increase workplace safety are:


1. Practice driving safely.
2. Never allow riders on your lift truck.
3. Only handle loads within your lift’s capacity.
4. Always stay under the overhead guard.
5. Always wear a seat belt.
6. Be aware of pedestrians walking in or near your work area.
7. Make certain man baskets are securely attached to the mast and/or forks.
8. Never travel employees in the man basket throughout the jobsite. Only minor repositioning is allowed with employees in the basket.
 

Pedestrians also have responsibilities to insure their own safety around material handling equipment. They should:

1. Be aware of forklift routes through the job site.
2. Look and listen for forklift warning lights and alarms.
3. Be cognizant that a forklift may suddenly appear around a blind corner.
4. Never walk under an elevated load.
 

If we all act together to minimize unfortunate incidents at work, we can avoid becoming a forklift accident statistic.