Trooper Update: 62-Year-Old Man Dies After Loader Falls Into Delaware River In Claymont
by Staff Writer · Published February 22, 2018
Claymont- Delaware State Police are currently conducting a death investigation at Ocean Port LLC, located at 6200 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, that occurred at approximately 9:59 a.m., Thursday, February 22, 2018, according to Public Information Officer, Master Corporal Michael Austin.
Austin said the preliminary investigation has determined that a 62-year-old male employee was operating a front end loader on an elevated pier, and for an undetermined reason, traveled off the pier into the water below. The victim was recovered and subsequently pronounced dead on scene by EMS, said Austin.
The body has been turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science where an autopsy will be performed to determine the manner and cause of death. The victim’s identity is being withheld pending the notification of his next of kin.
The investigation is in the very early stages. Further details will be released upon the conclusion of the investigation.
Breaking Report
Claymont – New Castle County first responders have recovered the body of a forklift operator from the Delaware River.
At 9:59 this morning rescue crews from the New Castle County Dive Team, three area marine units and Trooper 4 responded to a pier, located in the 6200 block of Philadelphia Pike for reports of a person in the water.
Early reports from the scene indicated that for an unknown reason, the forklift fell off the side of the pier, into the water. Shortly after the arrival of first responders, it was determined that the operator had succumbed to their injuries.
It was not immediately clear how the incident occurred.
Delaware State Police are investigating.
==================
Delaware State Police are currently conducting an investigation into an industrial accident that claimed the life of one man who died when a piece of heavy equipment he was operating fell into the Delaware River.
The incident took place at Ocean Port LLC, 6200 Philadelphia Pike, Claymont, occurred at 9:59 a.m. today. Oceanport handles salt shipments.
The preliminary investigation determined that a 62-year-old male employee was operating a front end loader on an elevated pier. The machine, with the operator inside, fell from the pier into the water. The man was recovered and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The body has been turned over to the Delaware Division of Forensic Science where an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death. The victim’s identity is being withheld pending the notification of his next of kin.
=======================
CLAYMONT, Del. (WPVI) -- First responders have recovered the body of a worker after the front end loader he was operating plunged into the water in Delaware.
Crews were dispatched at 10 a.m. Thursday to Oceanport Industries in the 6200 block of Philadelphia Pike.
Watch video from Chopper 6 over a water rescue underway at Oceanport Industries on February 22, 2018.
After a hour-long search, crews recovered the body of the 62-year-old worker.
The man's name was being withheld pending notification of his family.
It was not immediately clear what led to the incident. An autopsy on the victim is planned.
The incident is being investigated by Delaware State Police.
Widespread Flooding Brings Misery To Midwest
February 22, 2018
Amy Held
Mathias "Dale" Dekker (right) piloted his boat to rescue John Parker when the Red Cedar River flooded near Michigan State University in East Lansing on Wednesday. Dale G. Young/Detroit News via AP
No immediate relief is in sight for a swath of the Midwest where heavy rain, melting snow and rising rivers have shuttered schools, closed roads and prompted several evacuations.
With rainfall — totaling several inches — not expected to let up until the weekend, the National Weather Service has issued flood watches and flood warnings throughout the region including parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.
The combination of rain and snowmelt has "many rivers nearing record flood stage from Chicago to Houston and areas to the east," said the Red Cross.
At least two deaths were attributed to the flooding. A 1-year-old girl died after falling into standing water Wednesday in central Michigan's Fairplain Township, according to the state police, reports The Associated Press. And in Will County, Ill., outside Chicago, a woman was killed after her car rolled over into a rain-filled ditch, reports The Chicago Tribune, citing state police.
High water spurred authorities in Flint, Mich., to shut roadways Tuesday after vehicles got stuck, in one case with floodwaters reaching the doors of a midsize car, reports MLive.
About 50 miles northeast in Lansing, a state of emergency was declared Wednesday "due to imminent flooding in various neighborhoods."
The LaSalle County Nursing Home in Ottawa, Ill., issued "a great big thank you" to volunteers who helped evacuate residents Tuesday night, as the nearby Illinois River has been rising.
South Bend, Ind., is experiencing historic flooding, said Mayor Pete Buttigieg, with the St. Joseph River rising to more than 11 feet — surpassing a record of 10.9 feet set in 1982, reports The South Bend Tribune. The river is expected to crest Thursday.
And the mayor of Goshen, Ind., said the Elkhart River also reached a historic level there on Wednesday and was only continuing to rise, reports Jennifer Weingart of member station WVPE.
"We're sort of uncertain because we're in new territory," Goshen City Council member Adam Scharf told Weingart as he bagged sand in a bid to keep the water away from his home. "It's gonna be a foot and a half higher than it's ever been in history, so we don't know exactly where it's gonna go. So we're just trying to prepare for the worst here."
In Elkhart County, Ind., where Goshen is located, the Elkhart River measured 5 1/2 feet above flood stage by late Wednesday afternoon, officials said, prompting first responders to make 100 rescues and evacuations.
"Everything I have is in there," Chris Roland told WBND TV. "And the thought of losing it all just makes me sick.
Evacuees filled at least one shelter to capacity in Elkhart, officials said. The Red Cross is operating shelters across Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.
The group advises anyone within a flood-prone area to take precautionary measures, including assembling an emergency kit, creating an evacuation plan that includes pets and paying close attention to flood updates and warnings.
The flooding prompted school closures in several districts this week including in Pulaski County, Ark., and the suburbs of Chicago.
In Mississippi's Delta region, residents were scrambling to pile sandbags Thursday, where a flood threat was in effect through Saturday from a rising Mississippi River, reports the AP.
HOUSTON, TX - The National Hurricane Center released Thursday its official 76-page report on Hurricane Harvey and its impacts on Texas and the rest of the United States.
According to the NHC, Harvey’s rains caused catastrophic flooding, making it the second-most costly hurricane in U.S. history, after accounting for inflation, behind only Katrina in 2005.
"The latest NOAA damage estimate from Harvey is $125 billion, with the 90% confidence interval ranging from $90 to $160 billion. The mid-point of the estimate would tie Katrina (2005) as the costliest United States tropical cyclone, which was also $125 billion."
“At least 68 people died from the direct effects of the storm in Texas, the largest number of direct deaths from a tropical cyclone in that state since 1919,” the report stated.
In August 2017, Harvey rapidly intensified into a category 4 hurricane before making landfall along the middle Texas coast. The storm stalled, with its center over or near the Texas coast for four days, “dropping historic amounts of rainfall of more than 60 inches over southeastern Texas.”
“Harvey was the most significant tropical cyclone rainfall event in United States history, both in scope and peak rainfall amounts, since reliable rainfall records began around the 1880s. The highest storm total rainfall report from Harvey was 60.58 inches near Nederland, Texas, with another report of 60.54 inches from near Groves, Texas.”
At least 160,000 structures were flooded in Harris and Galveston counties, according to the NHC report.
Outside of the Houston area, serious flood damage was reported farther east in Jefferson, Orange, Hardin and Tyler counties, with about 110,000 structures flooded.
Other notes from the NHC report:
“In Fort Bend County, major flooding occurred with both the Brazos and San Bernard Rivers experiencing record floods. Major-to-record flooding occurred along the Brazos River from Richmond to Rosharon. Significant home flooding occurred in areas of Simonton, Richmond, Rosenburg, and Thompsons. Nearly 200,000 people were evacuated due to levee concerns and restrictions. Major-to-record flooding also occurred on the San Bernard River at both East Bernard and Boling, with the hardest hit area being Tierra Grande. At least 8,500 homes in this county were damaged by Harvey.
In Brazoria County, the Brazos and San Bernard Rivers experienced record water levels, which caused widespread floods across the county. The hardest hit communities were in Baileys Prairie, Richard and West Columbia. Widespread major flooding on the Brazos River and Oyster Creek led to numerous roads and homes flooding in Columbia Lakes, Mallard Lakes, Great Lakes, Riverside Estates and the Bar X Ranch subdivisions, as well as homes on CR 39. Flooding damaged the bridge over Cow Creek at CR 25, making it impassable. Major flooding also occurred along the San Bernard River at Sweeny with widespread inundation of the west floodplain. The Phillips 66 refinery took on water near Little Linville Bayou. Hanson Riverside Park was inundated, and water overtopped the Phillips Terminal, halting all vessel traffic. High flows from the Brazos and San Bernard Rivers caused navigation problems for several weeks. Over 9,000 homes experienced flood damage from the storm.
In Wharton County, widespread catastrophic flooding occurred from both the Colorado and San Bernard Rivers, causing Highway 59 to close between Hungerford and El Campo. The flooding inundated areas of Wharton, with hundreds of homes and businesses under water in many communities including Hobben Oaks, Bear Bottom, Elm Grove, River Valley and Pecan Valley. Other areas such as Glenflora, Peach Acres and the Orchard were hard hit. Major-to-record flooding also occurred on the San Bernard River at both East Bernard and Boling, with the hardest hits areas being El Lobo and New Gulf. Major lowland flooding occurred with many homes (including some on the second-story) and businesses being inundated, and the cotton crop was decimated. An estimated 2,000 homes were damaged or destroyed in the county.
Major lowland flooding occurred in Matagorda County along the Tres Palacios River. Many roadways were under water, and homes in the El Dorado Country, Oak Grove, and Tres Palacios Oaks subdivisions flooded. Major flooding also occurred on the Colorado River at Bay City as levees were overtopped by 2 ft of water. High flows from the Colorado and Tres Palacios Rivers impacted river navigation for several weeks. Roughly 2,900 homes were damaged in the county.
In San Jacinto County, major lowland flooding occurred on the Trinity River near Goodrich with damage and debris noted near the boat ramp and channel in proximity to the river gauge. Major flooding occurred upstream near Lake Livingston, with roads and many homes south of the lake being inundated. About 3,300 homes were damaged in the county.
Major-to-record flooding occurred in Liberty County along the Trinity River with numerous roads inundated including FM 787. Many homes and subdivisions were either cut off or inundated, specifically north of the city of Liberty and in the Grenada Lakes Estates subdivision. Significant damage occurred along the banks of the river due to high flows and several utility lines were severed due to the loss of poles in the vicinity of the Romayor gauge. Record river levels were also observed on the east fork of the San Jacinto River causing significant flooding in Cleveland, Williams and Plum Grove. High flows caused significant scouring of the state 105 (business) road; other roads were washed out as well, with bridge washouts or closures observed in many parts of the county. At least 1,000 homes were damaged in the county.
In Chambers County, record floods over the lowlands occurred along the Trinity River. Cedar Bayou was out of its banks in many locations, with significant flooding observed in Baytown. Numerous roads and homes were inundated across the county, including extensive flooding in the Milam Bend subdivision. High flows from the Trinity River impacted the navigation community for several weeks. An estimated 3,000 homes were damaged, and numerous businesses had significant damage.”
You can read the full report and NHC data here (PDF): https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL092017_Harvey.pdf
Charges against the Yonkers contractor who allegedly accidentally set fire to an Elmhurst apartment building last April, displacing 175 residents and injuring 11 firefighters, have been dropped.
According to court records provided by his attorney, Declan Mcelhatton will no longer face a fourth-degree arson and second-degree reckless endangerment rap after Assistant District Attorney Charissa Ilardi moved in court last Tuesday for the case to be dismissed.
“While we do believe there was probable cause for the fire marshals to make the arrest,” Illardi said, according to court records, “at this time we do not believe we are able to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Mcelhatton, 53, was arrested two days after a fire broke out at 56-11 94 St., two blocks north of the Queens Center mall, on April 11.
The five-alarm blaze damaged or destroyed 112 apartments, forcing the American Red Cross to temporarily convert nearby PS 13 into a shelter for displaced families.
According to the original criminal complaint against him, McElhatton was contracted to work on the building’s roof. The roofing materials he allegedly tried to apply were not supposed to be subjected to heat, and his alleged improper use of a blow torch started the fire.
Dozens of building tenants filed a lawsuit against the management company and the city a few months later in an effort to have an independent administrator oversee the repairs being made to the building and ensure rents could not be raised.
====================
Yonkers man charged with arson in Elmhurst fire
More than 150 people were displaced in Tuesday's five-alarm blaze
Photo courtesy FDNY
Yonkers resident Declan Mcelhatton has been charged with arson in connection with Tuesday's five-alarm fire in Elmhurst.
Posted: Thursday, April 13, 2017 11:48 am
by Christopher Barca / Associate Editor
UPDATE:
Charges against Declan Mcelhatton were dropped on Jan. 16, 2018 after Assistant District Attorney Charissa Ilardi moved in court to have the case dismissed.
"At this time, we do not believe we are able to prove this case beyond a reasonable doubt," Ilardi said, according to court records.
---------------------------------------------
A Yonkers man has been charged with arson and reckless endangerment in connection with Tuesday's five-alarm fire that heavily damaged a seven-story Elmhurst apartment building.
According to the FDNY, 53-year-old Declan Mcelhatton allegedly left combustible materials near an open flame in the cockloft of 56-11 94 St., two blocks behind the Queens Center mall, causing an inferno that injured 11 firefighters and displaced 175 people.
Reports, citing the authorities, said Mcelhatton is an employee of Maintenance Asset Management and had been doing work at the building the day the blaze started.
The fire destroyed 112 apartments and according to the Red Cross, 15 of the 67 displaced families spent Tuesday night sleeping at nearby PS 13, which the organization converted into a temporarily shelter.
Two hundred firefighters responded to the blaze, which broke out around 6:30 p.m., extinguishing it shortly before midnight.
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.
==================
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.
==============
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.”
