Hazards remain after fires have been extinguished and cleanup begins. Cal/OSHA Issues Notice for Worker Safety during Fire Cleanup

Cal/OSHA Issues Notice for Worker Safety during Fire Cleanup

Oakland—Cal/OSHA has posted materials that provide guidance for employers and workers on working safely during fire cleanup.

Hazards remain after fires have been extinguished and cleanup begins. Employers performing cleanup and other work in areas damaged or destroyed by fire are required to identify and evaluate these hazards, correct any unsafe or unhealthy conditions and provide training to employees. 

Potential hazards in fire cleanup areas include but are not limited to the following:

• Fire from heat sources such as smoldering wood or debris coming into contact with flammable material. Fire extinguishers should be provided at every cleanup job.
• Electricity from reenergized power lines and electrical equipment after an outage. Precautions must be taken when generators are used at worksites and if water has been near electrical circuits or equipment. 
• Flammable gases from pipes and tanks. Employers must make sure pipes and tanks are properly shut off if they are potentially damaged or leaking.
• Carbon monoxide poisoning from gasoline or diesel-powered pumps, generators and pressure washers. This equipment may be used for fire cleanup but is prohibited indoors in most situations.
• Unstable structures from fire damage. Buildings or structures can collapse without warning—assume they are unstable until examined and certified safe for work by a qualified person.
• Demolition or dismantling damaged structures exposes workers to unexpected collapse, falling objects and hazardous materials. Before commencing work, employers must review and address all demolition safety requirements.
• Sharp or flying objects from handling, cutting or breaking up debris. Employers must provide and ensure employees wear appropriate eye, hand and foot protection.
• Confined space hazards include toxic exposure, asphyxiation, electrocution and unguarded moving machinery. Employers must evaluate worksites to determine if there are confined spaces and review all safety requirements for working in confined spaces.    
• Ash, soot and dust can cause irritation and damage to workers’ lungs if inhaled. When exposure would probably cause injury or illness, employers must provide NIOSH-certified respirators designated as N-95 or greater.
• Asbestos in damaged structures poses serious health hazards to employees. Safety regulations are available on Cal/OSHA’s Asbestos Information page.
• Stored chemicals in potentially damaged or dislodged tanks, drums, pipes and equipment pose hazards to workers. Only workers with the required skills, training and personal protective and emergency equipment are allowed to clean up hazardous spills.
• Heat illness is a hazard for outdoor workers. Employers must provide potable drinking water free of charge, rest breaks and access to shade to prevent heat illness. More detail is available on Cal/OSHA’s Heat Illness Prevention page.

Cal/OSHA helps protect workers from health and safety hazards on the job in almost every workplace in California. Cal/OSHA’s Consultation Services Branch provides free and voluntary assistance to employers to improve their health and safety programs. Employers should call (800) 963-9424 for assistance from Cal/OSHA Consultation Services.

The Bubbly Creek fork of the Chicago River has been closed, after an oil spill

Fork of the Chicago River known as Bubbly Creek has been closed after an oil discharge was found in the water on Thursday, authorities said.

The U.S. Coast Guard established a "safety zone" at the creek, off the South Branch of the Chicago River, around 5 p.m. Thursday, a spokesman said. It is closed to people and boats.

Crews used booms at the entrance to Bubbly Creek to work to contain the oil. The South Branch and other area waterways were not affected by the closing.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was working to find the source of the oil, officials said.

Bubbly Creek is a 1.25-mile-long backwater of the South Branch that runs primarily through Bridgeport. It became notorious for its pollution from the Union Stock Yards, which opened in 1865 and closed in 1971.

The bubbles of its name refer to gas escaping from animal carcasses and other material dumped in the creek over decades.



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‘Bubbly Creek’ South Fork Of Chicago River Closed While Crews Clean Up Oil Spill October 27, 2017 7:42 AM
 



CHICAGO (CBS) — The Bubbly Creek section of the Chicago River has been closed, after an oil spill was reported in the water.

The spill was spotted in the south fork of the Chicago River on Wednesday in the Bridgeport neighborhood near Ashland Avenue. The sheen of dark oil later spread from Bubbly Creek to the river’s South Branch, as far west as Pulaski Road. Some birds, geese, and ducks were seen covered in a black oily substance.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Environmental Protection Agency responded, and closed off access to Bubbly Creek on Thursday. A containment boom was set up at the entrance of the creek.

The St. Ignatius crew team, which trains on Bubbly Creek, has been told they must move their training to dry land until the oil slick has been cleaned up.

St. Ignatius girls crew coach Len Richards said the team noticed the oil slick while practicing on Monday and Tuesday, because their boats were greasy after pulling them out of the water.

“It was pretty messy. It got messier. So, on Wednesday, we have hoses, we were brushing them off, and wiping them down,” he said. “I mean, we’ve been rowing in it for four days now.”

Richards said the team won’t be able to practice for its last regatta on Sunday.

“It’s nicer to get the live training out on the water,” he said.

The no-boating zone set up by the Coast Guard doesn’t affect the South Branch or other area waterways.

Officials have not yet found the source of the spill.

Improperly discarded cigarette butts are the cause of a fire that damaged several apartments on Runyan Drive in Chattanooga, TN

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — UPDATE (Friday, 8:52AM):

The Chattanooga Fire Department says in a statement Friday morning that investigators think improperly discarded cigarette butts are the cause of a fire that damaged several apartments on Runyan Drive Thursday.


CFD spokesman Bruce Garner says the fire started on the balcony of Apartment 103 on the second floor.


Improperly discarded cigarette butts are a leading cause of fires. Here are some safety tips for smokers, and those who live with them:

• Use large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently.
• Ashtrays should be set on something sturdy and hard to ignite, like a table.
• Completely soak cigarette butts and ashes in water before throwing them away. NEVER toss hot cigarette butts or ashes in the trash.
• Check under furniture cushions and in other places people smoke for cigarette butts that may have fallen out of sight.
• Don't smoke in bed or lying down, especially if you are drowsy, medicated or have been drinking alcohol.
• Smoking should not be allowed in a home where medical oxygen is being used.
• Keep matches and lighters up high, out of children's sight and reach.
• Having a smoker in your home increases your chances of having a fire in your home. Consider adding additional smoke alarms in your home, specifically a photoelectric type, which is the most reliable for smoldering type fires.

PREVIOUSLY:

The Chattanooga Fire Department (CFD) says several apartment units on Runyan Drive have been damaged after a fire Thursday afternoon.


Firefighters responded to the call at The Arbors of Signal Mountain at 5:19pm Thursday.

CFD spokesman Bruce Garner says firefighters found significant flames smoke and flames coming from the first building of the apartment complex.

Six additional fire companies were called in to help.

Three units had fire damage, and an additional two or three also had smoke and water damage.

Garner says no one has been reported injured as of yet, however 18 families have been temporarily displaced as power was cut because of fire damage.


Jeremy Brand lives across the street from the apartment complex, and he says he called 911 and then ran right into it to make sure people were safe.

"You get in the heat of the moment like that, no pun intended and your adrenaline kicks in and you just try to make sure that everyone's safe," said Brand.


Katherine Eagle says her sister lived in one of the apartments that caught fire.

"You guys are going to make me cry but I actually cried all the way over here because I thought my daughter was in here," says Eagle. "Everything can be replaceable but my daughter, my niece, my sister, my mother, they cannot be replacable."

Five people killed in Fostoria, Ohio house fire, including Austin Rainey, a Bascom Joint Fire District cadet and his mother, father, younger brother and younger sister. Two dogs were also found dead in the home.

FOSTORIA, Ohio (WNWO/AP) — State Fire Marshal investigators have determined the origin of the fire to be on the first floor of the home, on the south-facing side.

The cause has been ruled undetermined, however, investigators have not ruled out electrical or heating related sources as potential causes.

A funeral home says 19-year-old firefighter trainee Austin Rainey, his parents and two younger siblings also in the farmhouse fire Thursday just outside Fostoria. They've been identified as 45-year-old James Rainey, 41-year-old Jodi Depinet-Rainey, 15-year-old Cody Rainey and 7-year-old Jessica Rainey.

Authorities say the fire was so intense that the first firefighters to arrive could not get inside to save the victims.====================
FOSTORIA, OHIO — Five bodies were recovered from a home that was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning in Seneca County.

Authorities identified one of the victims as 19-year-old Austin Rainey, a Bascom Joint Fire District cadet and recent graduate of Hopewell-Loudon High School.
Two other adults and two children also perished in the fire at 10331 W. Ohio 18, just east of Fostoria. The other victims are believed to be Rainey’s mother, father, younger brother and younger sister. Two dogs were also found dead in the home.

The identities of the remaining victims were being withheld Thursday pending confirmation by the Lucas County Coroner’s Office.

Three agents from the State Fire Marshal’s Office are helping investigate to determine the cause and origin of the fire.

When Austin Rainey’s body was removed from the fire scene, it was draped in an American flag and escorted by Bascom firefighters and the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office to the intersection of Township Road 26 and Ohio 18. From there, the convoy was joined by the Tiffin Fire Department as the body was taken to Engle-Shook Funeral Home in Tiffin.

During a press briefing late Thursday afternoon, Seneca County Public Information Officer Dean Henry said the tragedy has hit Bascom’s fire department “very hard.”

“This is a very small community, a very small department — all of these people knew one another,” Henry said. “Some of these firefighters are second- and third-generation firefighters. It’s not just something they do, it’s a part of their life. It’s very difficult.”

Rainey joined Bascom’s fire department after graduating from high school and was scheduled to take his firefighter exam on Nov. 12.

Kelly Stincer, public information officer with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, said the first 911 call came from inside the home at about 3:46 a.m. Thursday when the daughter contacted an emergency dispatch center from her father’s cellphone.

According to Fostoria Police Division reports, two more 911 calls came in at about 3:53 a.m. Thursday. Screaming could reportedly be heard in the background of those calls.

Another caller reported the structure was fully engulfed and informed the dispatcher that residents may have been inside the home.

When the first units arrived, firefighters began an exterior-only attack, meaning it was not safe for them to venture inside the home.

“It was fully involved. There was a lot of fire coming out of the front — a lot of heavy smoke,” said Bascom Fire Chief Mark DeVault. “There was a lot of fire. It just took a while to get it knocked out.”

After the fire was extinguished, officials said the structural integrity of the home was compromised, which made it difficult for investigators to search for the victims.

“… The structure of the home was so unsteady that they had to stabilize it in order to be able to do their job,” Stincer said. “They were stabilizing it so they could extract (the victims) without it all crashing down because they needed to transport the bodies out of the home.”

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) is assisting the State Fire Marshal’s Office in its investigation, using a three-dimensional imaging device known as FARO, which allows authorities to see a detailed diagram of the structure.

Officials said the blaze is not being investigated as a homicide.

“This is not a crime scene, and the existence of BCI should not be construed as any suggestion that this is a crime scene or that arson is involved,” Henry said. “They are here for technical assistance.”

Four fire departments responded to the initial call, prompting authorities to close a large portion of Ohio 18.

Hopewell-Loudon Local School had a two-hour delay as a result of the fire, and the Seneca County Opportunity Center closed for the day.

Firefighters from the Fostoria, New Riegel, Kansas, Attica, Bloomville and Old Fort assisted Bascom, as well as personnel from Seneca County and Bascom EMS, the Citizens Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office and the American Red Cross.

Thursday night, about 70 community members gathered at Hopewell-Loudon High School to mourn the family.

David Alvarado, superintendent of Hopewell-Loudon, said the two youths who were killed attended the district school. Counselors were brought in to help students deal with their grief.

Here is the info listed in Austin Rainey's facebook pages:

Intro

18, love football. Taken by the best 10-28-15😍😘💜💙🔐 Briana was Present here😍😘💙💜🔐

• Cashier at Fostoria, Ohio
• Went to Vanguard-Sentinel Career and Technology Centers
• Went to Hopewell-Loudon High School
• Lives in Fostoria, Ohio
• In a relationship with Briana Lynn Hepp
• From Fostoria, Ohio
• Joined November 2014

DEADLY ARSON: The fire that killed two children (Devon Major, 12, and Erik Dupree, 16) and injured a third was intentionally set Wednesday night in Laflin in Luzerne County, PA

LAFLIN, PA — The blaze that killed two children and injured a third was intentionally set Wednesday night, and a Wilkes-Barre man is in custody for unrelated crimes, authorities say.

The same man has a history of trouble at the home that burned.

Officials ruled the fire an arson at a press conference Thursday at the State Police barracks in Wyoming.

Meanwhile, State Police searched a Wilkes-Barre home as part of their investigation into the fire.

Shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday, Luzerne County 911 received a report of a blaze at 60 Oakwood Drive. State Police arrived and found three boys inside the residence.

Assistant District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said during Thursday’s press conference that a juvenile made a 911 call, reporting an individual who was known to the family was on the back porch but was not supposed to be on the property.

The juvenile told a dispatcher he and his brothers were in their bedroom on the second floor and could see the individual outside.

At 7:15 p.m., another 911 call came in, reporting a fire at the residence.

Two boys — a 16-year-old and a 12-year-old — were pronounced dead at the scene by the Luzerne County Coroner’s Office. The third — an 8-year-old — was transported to a hospital for treatment.

Luzerne County Deputy Coroner Dan Hughes identified the dead boys as Devon Major, 12, and Erik Dupree, 16. The cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning due to the fire, Hughes said.

The third boy’s condition would not be released Thursday night, Sanguedolce said.

Luzerne County property records show the Laflin property is owned by Susan M. Major.

Sanguedolce said that a person of interest was in custody on an unrelated, pending warrant. He would not identify that person. However, police on Thursday morning took a Wilkes-Barre man into custody who has a history with the home.

Preston Daquon Bonnett, 26, was arrested on charges that he had devices used for manufacturing counterfeit credit cards at the residence July 10.

According to an affidavit for that case, Bonnett was in the home after being invited by Tyla Griffin, who had been staying in Major’s basement since June 16. Major, who knew Bonnett, did not grant permission for him to stay.

Major told police she had enough of Griffin and Bonnett and began moving their belongings from the basement to the first floor, with the pair screaming at her and refusing to leave. Major told police she noticed Bonnett had a credit card machine and various credit cards in his belongings, along with his state ID card and blank credit cards.

A witness who was at the home at the time, Cyrus Solomon, said Griffin broke the front window of the home with her hand before fleeing the scene in July.

Both Bonnett and Griffin are facing charges in connection with the alleged counterfeiting operation, including felonies.

More recently, Bonnett was accused of vandalizing the home. On Oct. 14, he allegedly threw a beer bottle through a window. His citation for that case was filed less than a week ago. It orders him to pay $662, with $200 of it going to Major as restitution.

Bonnett, 173 Jones St., Wilkes-Barre, has not been charged in connection to the deadly fire.

The investigation into the blaze led to a home at 18 Hillside St., Wilkes-Barre. Trooper James Shubzda, a forensic crime scene expert, confirmed the Laflin connection Thursday, but could not elaborate.

Neighbor: House didn’t fit

A woman who lives across the street said the home at 60 Oakwood Drive stood apart from the largely affluent, well-manicured neighborhood.

“There were always people going in and out,” said the neighbor, who did not wish to be identified. “The house looked like it was abandoned, with the window smashed in.”

The woman said the residence was previously owned by “hard-working” couple Sam and Sue Bellanca, who both recently passed away, before being taken over by their daughter, also named Sue.

An obituary for a Laflin woman named Assunta “Sue” Bellanca published in the Times Leader in April 2016 seems to corroborate the neighbor’s statements. Bellanca’s obituary lists a Laflin woman named Susan Major as her daughter, and lists grandsons with first names matching those of the deceased as confirmed by Hughes. However, Erik’s last name is listed as Major and not Dupree in the obituary.

The neighbor said it seemed as though there was more smoke than flames during Wednesday’s fire. She said she saw bodies being removed from the house, with one being left in the front yard for a lengthy period of time.

Major arrived at one point, the neighbor said, and was visibly distressed. The neighbor said she saw State Police lead Major away, but it is unclear if she was taken for questioning.

“We’re shocked by what happened,” the neighbor said of the fire. “If Sam and Sue are looking down from heaven, I don’t even know what they’d be thinking.”