MEC&F Expert Engineers : 05/16/18

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Arborist Gregory Hanna, 29, electrocuted to death as he was cutting trees over the power lines in South Kingstown, RI



South Kingstown, RI

 South Kingstown police have identified the man who was killed Tuesday after he was electrocuted in an industrial accident.

Gregory Hanna, 29, a South Kingstown resident, was an arborist who had been hired to do tree work on Ledge Road, the South  Kingstown Police Department said in a news release.

Police say Hanna was in a bucket truck 30 feet in the air while another person working with him was on the ground fixing a chainsaw. Hanna was electrocuted when cutting trees over the power lines, police said.

Police said the incident was accidental and there is no indication of foul play. The detective division and medical examiner’s office are continuing to investigate.

The powerful storms that moved through the Northeast area Tuesday left at least four people dead, including an 11-year-old girl in Orange County, New York.







NEW YORK (WABC) --

The powerful storms that moved through the New York area Tuesday left at least four people dead, including an 11-year-old girl in Orange County, New York.

The girl and her mother had arrived home on Robinson Avenue in Newburgh at about 4:15 p.m. Tuesday and were unloading the car when police say the wind caused a large tree to topple onto the vehicle.

The girl was extricated from the car by the fire department and transported to St. Luke's Hospital where she was pronounced dead. The mother suffered minor injuries.

The victim's identity has not yet been released.

Another person was also killed in Newburgh.

Two more people were killed in Connecticut. Authorities say a person died when a tree fell on a car on Brush Hill Road in New Fairfield.

In Danbury, a man was doing yard work at a residence at Candlewood Lake when he saw the storm and decided to shelter in his pickup truck.

A tree fell on the truck and he was killed.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton also says a teenager suffered serious injuries when he was hit by the roof of a dugout on a baseball field.

In New Jersey, trees toppled onto homes and cars. A $100,000 show car was destroyed when a tree topled onto the owner's garage.

"I looked out my window and I saw my garage crushed," he said.

Fortunately, the man and his family were not injured.

On Jefferson Street in Passaic, a roof peeled off a day care with children and adults inside. No one was hurt, but the roof remains lying in the street in front of the business.

Authorities say thousands remain without power due to the storm.



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Powerful storm hits Northeast with rain, hail, possible tornadoes


Last Updated May 15, 2018

NEW YORK, NY -- 


After a sticky, summer-like day, a powerful front bore down on the northeastern U.S., bringing with it rain, hail and the possibility of tornadoes. CBS New York reports heavy rain, thunderstorms and flooding were expected across much of New York City, Long Island, Rockland and Westchester counties. A tornado watch was in effect for parts of upstate New York.

Flights have been delayed, trains service disrupted and drivers stranded in cars. Millions are in the storm zone. Watches and warnings are in effect from Pennsylvania to New England for severe storms and possible tornadoes.


Storm-related deaths


Town of Newburgh, New York, police department confirms a tree fell on a car and killed a female occupant.


City of Newburgh, New York, confirmed that a tree fell on a vehicle and killed an 11-year old girl occupant.


Mayor Mark Boughton of Danbury, Connecticut, confirms a man was working on his lawn when the storm approached. The man took shelter in his truck and was killed when a tree fell on it.

Monroe County 911 Center confirms that a tree fell on a vehicle and killed the male occupant in Effort, Pennsylvania.

CBS News correspondent DeMarco Morgan reports this is a fast-moving storm and warnings will stay in effect until 11 p.m. ET. There are power outages for more than half a million customers across New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

Downed trees and roof damage was reported across the area.



Powerful winds may have been responsible for blowing the top off a water tower in Morningside Heights.


In New Jersey, a downed tree limb apparently sparked a transformer fire.

Here's a look at hail spawned from Tuesday's storm.

A look at hail from a storm that's sweeping through the Northeast on Tue., May 15, 2018.
CBS New York

Passengers were frustrated at Grand Central Terminal, where several Metro-North lines were suspended due to the powerful storms.


At the height of rush hour, passengers were being told to avoid the terminal.

The storm forced the suspension of Metro-North service on the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven lines -- but officials have since resumed service in both directions.

Delays were reported at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports.

CBS New York reports "the signature is there" for tornadoes, though nothing has officially been confirmed. A storm over Danbury, Connecticut, was "very close to being a radar-indicated tornado."