Woman, teen girl killed in Wake Forest crash; 4 seriously injured

By CBS North Carolina Published: June 13, 2016, 7:42 pm Updated: June 14, 2016, 11:20 pm


WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WNCN) – A woman and a teen girl were killed and four others suffered serious injuries in a crash Monday evening in Wake Forest, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol confirmed.

The accident occurred in the 2400 block of Wait Avenue around 6 p.m. when a 2000 International truck and a 2007 Hyundai van collided about 1.6 miles north of Rolesville. The truck, driven by Jessie Sanders, 43, of Wendell, crossed the center line and slammed into the van, authorities said.

The driver of the van, Renee Lynn Stokes, 33, of Wilson, was pronounced dead at WakeMed.

“The will be remembered as someone who was kind and eager to learn,” said Lew Upchurch, associated pastor at Hope Lutheran Church. “Someone who, I can say with great confidence, had great faith.”

Angela Rebollar, 13, of Louisburg, was declared dead at the scene.

Four others were transported to WakeMed with injuries believed to be serious.

Debra Desha, 61, of Louisburg, Seth Stokes, 3 months, Isaac Stokes, 10, Crystal Rebollar, 10, and Elijah Stokes, 5, were passengers in the van.

Charges are pending in the crash, a North Carolina State Highway Patrol spokesperson said.

The Cub Scouts of Pack 500 have started a GoFundMe page for the family of Renee Stokes.

reports of a fire following an explosion at Tiger Products’ chemical plant in Bladen County

Evacuations ordered following fire at NC chemical plant

By WECT Staff Published: June 13, 2016, 1:32 pm Updated: June 13, 2016, 4:59 pm


ELIZABETHTOWN, N.C. (WECT) – Emergency crews are responding to reports of a fire following an explosion at Tiger Products’ chemical plant in Bladen County Monday morning.

According to Bradley Kinlaw, emergency services director for Bladen County, the fire was first reported around 9:30 a.m. at the plant, located in the 4200 block of US 701 in Elizabethtown.

Officials on scene said the fire started in a machine at the plant following an explosion. Crews have contained the fire but it is still burning.

A hazmat crew was called to the scene due to smoldering sulfur.

Kinlaw said evacuations were issued to homes a quarter mile down wind from the plant. No injuries have been reported so far.

Officials have closed US 701 between Elizabethtown and Clarkton in both directions while crews work to completely extinguish the fire.

3 rescued from downed Navy helicopter near James River Bridge in VA

WAVY News Staff Published: June 14, 2016, 11:34 am Updated: June 14, 2016, 11:32 pm


NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Three crew members were rescued Tuesday from a downed Navy helicopter near the James River Bridge, the U.S. Coast Guard confirms.

The Navy said in a news release Tuesday that the helicopter crashed during a routine training mission.

The Coast Guard says a Good Samaritan vessel rescued the three people. The crew members were then transferred to a Newport News Police Marine Unit, which was first on scene, according to officials.

WAVY cameras were there as the three crew members walked off of a Newport News Fire boat that brought them to shore. They were taken to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth for evaluation.


Newport News Fire Battalion Chief Steve Pincus addressed the media in a noon news conference on Tuesday following the incident.

“We are grateful that no one was injured,” Pincus said. “It is an especially proud moment when we can do in there and rescue people, bring them to shore relatively unharmed.”

The helicopter, an MH-60 Seahawk, is assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two (HSC-2) — also called the Fleet Angels. It’s the Navy’s east coast fleet replacement squadron, according to its website, and is based at Naval Station Norfolk.

On deployment, the MH-60 Seahawk would carry out anti-surface warfare, surveillance, or communication relay. However, it is most known for its role in combat search and rescue missions, medical evacuations and humanitarian aid drops. All Navy MH-60s carry a hoist drop, which helps them on those missions.

WAVY.com has learned the squadron is comprised of instructors who train pilot and crew trainees. This squadron does not deploy, but helps get new crewmen and new pilots ready to attach to a deployable command.

Due to the training nature of the helo, it would not be uncommon for a student pilot, a student crew member, or both to be on board during a training flight. An instructor would likely also be on board. The Navy has not commented on the roles of the three men on board the helicopter that crashed Tuesday.

Boater David Hayslett witnessed the helicopter go down. Hayslett told 10 On Your Side’s Joe Fisher that the helicopter was hovering low before it crashed.

“I don’t know what exactly happened, and the tail hit the top of the beacon and that’s when the tail broke off,” Hayslett said. “Then the chopper laid sideways, the blades hit the water and the blades went everywhere.”

Fishermen in the area tell 10 On Your Side it’s common to see Navy aircraft training very low to the surface over the James River.


The Virginia Marine Resources Commission, Coast Guard and Newport News Fire Department all responded to the scene Tuesday, according to emergency dispatchers. The incident was reported at 11:12 a.m.

The Coast Guard dispatched a helo crew for an overflight of the scene. A small boat crew was sent from Coast Guard Station Portsmouth to assess the situation.

Naval Air Forces Atlantic spokesman Mike Maus tells 10 On Your Side there is no information on when the helicopter will be recovered.

Officials tell us a mishap investigation is being formed to determine what caused the crash. It could be months before a determination is made.

10 On Your Side will continue to monitor updates and will bring them to you on air and online.




//-----------------------------------//

Date:

14-JUN-2016
Time: c11:00LT
Type:
Sikorsky MH-60S Seahawk
Owner/operator: US Navy (USN)
Registration:

C/n / msn:

Fatalities: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Other fatalities: 0
Airplane damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: James River, VA - United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature: Military
Departure airport: Naval Station Chambers Field
Destination airport: Naval Station Chambers Field
Narrative:
The helicopter was hovering low over the river, near the James River Bridge, during routine training. For currently unknown reasons it impacted the water.

The accident was reported at 11:12. The three crew members were rescued uninjured.

The helicopter was assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two (HSC-2), the helicopter Fleet Replacement Squadron based at Naval Station Norfolk.


Sources:
http://wavy.com/2016/06/14/report-of-navy-helicopter-down-near-james-river-bridge/
https://news.usni.org/2016/06/14/20176

Crane operator killed after a crawler crane overturned in Alabama

Fatal crane overturn in Alabama

June 14, 2016
A crawler crane overturned on a highway project near the town of Parrish, northwest of Birmingham, Alabama yesterday killing the operator.



The crane operator jumped but was caught by the falling crane
The crane was working from a terrace on a sloping job-site and looks as though it was preparing to tandem lift some concrete bridge beams, but the boom went over the back of the crane causing it to overturn. The operator sensing the crane start to go jumped out of the cab, but the crane then landed on him. He was declared dead at the scene.

That is all the information that we have at the moment.



An excavator stabilizes the crane

Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary rescue one person near Port Jefferson, N.Y.

NEW HAVEN, CT, UNITED STATES
06.14.2016
Photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Steven Strohmaier
U.S. Coast Guard District 1 PADET New York



NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary crew members rescued a stranded mariner northeast of Port Jefferson, New York, Tuesday. The stranded mariner was found adrift in the inflatable raft pictured above.