MEC&F Expert Engineers : August 2015

Monday, August 31, 2015

THE USUAL SUSPECTS: construction workers cut into a 12- inch natural gas pipe in Downtown Spokane, WA, causing massive leak, evacuations, delays


Gas leak forces Downtown offices to evacuate
KREM Staff and Ryan Simms, KREM.com 7:42 p.m. PDT August 31, 2015



(Photo: KREM.com)


SPOKANE, Wash.—A gas leak closed several Downtown Spokane streets Monday. Policed blocked Sprague and Monroe in the afternoon when construction workers cut into a 12 inch gas pipe.

Police evacuated seven buildings in the area including the Spokesman Review offices forcing about 500 people outside.



A gas leak forced people to evacuate parts of Downtown Spokane for hours... but just minutes ago they got word they can return

Police diverted traffic away from this area. Around 7:40 p.m. Monday, authorities opened Monroe going southbound, but it is still restricted to one lane. Sprague remains closed between Lincoln and Madison, and police said it is antiicpated they remained closed for a few more hours.

Authorities on the scene around 4:00 p.m. said it could take as long as a day to make repairs. Workers must weld a new pipe which will take time.

A speeding Oswego man was killed in an ATV collision with a telephone pole in Lewis County, New York



A 2012 Arctic Cat ATV



Oswego man killed in ATV crash

By Catie O'Toole | cotoole@syracuse.com
 
on August 31, 2015 at 6:01 PM


OSCEOLA, N.Y. -- 


An Oswego man was killed in an all-terrain vehicle crash this weekend in Lewis County, state police said.

Richard D. Shaw, 52, was operating a 2012 Arctic Cat ATV shortly before 9:30 p.m. Saturday in the town of Osceola when five other people riding with him noticed he was no longer following them, troopers said. The group back tracked and found Shaw laying on his back next to his ATV near 2508 Prince Brook Road in Osceola. The ATV was still running and against a telephone pole after the crash, troopers said. State police and Redfield firefighters responded to the scene.

A state police investigation showed Shaw was traveling south on Prince Brook Road at a high rate of speed when he failed to negotiate a right hand curve, the news release said. The ATV left the east shoulder of the road and struck the telephone pole head on, state police said.

Trespassing man struck, killed by Amtrak train in Tacoma, WA


Posted August 31, 2015


by Q13 FOX News Staff and Associated Press



SEATTLE (AP) — 


A Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad spokesman says a man was struck and killed by an Amtrak train in Tacoma.

Spokesman Gus Melonas says the man used a BNSF maintenance crossing to enter the train line Tuesday before he was struck by a south-bound Amtrak train around 3 p.m.

Tuesday's death is the 19th death on BSNF train lines so far this year in Washington. Melonas says the people who have died were trespassing. He urges the public to be cautious around railways.

Melonas said the BNSF main line was closed until 4:30 p.m. The closure delayed four trains.

A Norfolk Southern freight train comes off the tracks at Port of Charleston terminal




August 31 2015 6:55 pm

DAVID WREN

dwren@psotandcourier.com

A Norfolk Southern train delivering a rail car to the Port of Charleston derailed Monday at the Columbus Street Terminal, but no injuries or damage were reported.


Susan Terpay, director of public relations for Norfolk Southern Corp., said the rail car’s wheels went off the track and, while that is termed a derailment, the car did not turn over. Terpay said Monday afternoon the car was not carrying any hazardous cargo and is being re-railed.

The derailment did not disrupt vehicular traffic. It is not clear what caused the derailment.

Erin Dhand, a spokeswoman for the State Ports Authority which operates the Port of Charleston, said the port anticipates some delays to cargo trains carrying BMW automobiles from Greer for export.

“But we won’t know the extent of those impacts until Palmetto Railways and Norfolk Southern determine an exact repair plan for the affected portion of the tracks,” Dhand said.

Pacific Train collides with SUV in Round Rock, Texas


Round Rock police investigating SUV vs. train crash

By Candice Avila 
Published: August 31, 2015
 
 
Train crash in Round Rock, Texas
 
AUGUST 31, 2015
ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) – 
 Police are investigating what caused a SUV and Union Pacific train to collide on Monday afternoon.

It happened on the 1500 block of St. Williams Avenue around 4:30 p.m.

Round Rock police said no one was in the vehicle when they arrived. They are still searching for the driver. 
 No one was injured on the train but Union Pacific is also investigating.

THE DEADLY U.S. ROADS: Two drivers killed in I-40 exit ramp wrong-way head-on collision in Arkansas




THV 11 Staff, news source


August 29, 2015

 LONOKE COUNTY, Ark. (KTHV) - 

Two drivers are dead after a wrong-way collision occurred on an I-40 exit ramp near Lonoke.

State Police report that Anthony Ray, 44, of Lonoke was traveling the wrong way on the westbound exit ramp at the 173 mile marker on Interstate 40 around 8:20 p.m. Friday, August 29, when he struck a vehicle being driven by Christina Brewer, 27, of Benton headon. 


Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene.

The accident is under investigation.

Firefighter seriously injured in trailer fire in Eureka Springs when his breathing equipment was knocked loose


POSTED: August 30, 2015

  EUREKA SPRINGS, Mo. -

A Eureka Springs, MO firefighter is hospitalized in Springfield after suffering serious injuries fighting a fire.


The department reports firefighter Rod Wasson was inside a burning trailer Saturday night when his breathing equipment was knocked loose. Another firefighter pulled Wasson out of the trailer. Emergency medical crews on the scene found that Wasson may have inhaled superheated gases and smoke.

Wasson was airlifted to a Springfield hospital for treatment of his injuries.
The firefighter who rescued Wasson was treated at a Eureka Springs area hospital for minor injuries and released.


The fire department reported Wasson was in stable condition Sunday afternoon. The local fire marshal and the Arkansas State Police are working to determine the cause of the fire.

3 injured and two Barry-Lawrence County ambulances damaged in crash in Missouri




A front view of the Barry-Lawrence Ambulance that failed to stop and collided with two vehicles, including another Barry-Lawrence ambulance, on Friday. Chad Hayworth/Newton County News Two Barry-Lawrence County Ambulance District ambulances received damage in a three-vehicle collision at 4:08 p.m. on Friday on Highway 60, three miles east of Neosho at Highway 59.

 

 Friday, August 28, 2015
Murray Bishoff


According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the ambulances were eastbound on Highway 60 and approached a 2001 Ford Windstar SUV, driven by Joshua Gose, 30, of Springfield, that had stopped in traffic to make a left turn onto Highway 59. The first ambulance, driven by Shala Bass, 25, of Diamond, slowed to stop, but was struck in the rear by the second ambulance, driven by Jesse Merritt, 25, of Aurora. The impact pushed the first ambulance into the rear of Gose's SUV before traveling off the south edge of the roadway. The ambulance driven by Merritt continued east and also collided with the SUV.

All three drivers were wearing seat belts and were transferred to Joplin hospitals for treatment. Merritt had moderate injuries while Bass and Gose received minor injuries.

Gose's SUV received moderate damage. Merritt's ambulance had extensive damage. Bass's ambulance had moderate damage. Both were 2013 Chevrolet rigs.

The Barry-Lawrence Ambulance District has four ambulances in service, plus a fifth ambulance that was going to be sold. Mike Bennett, district board president, said the vehicle up for sale will be put back into service. The district will continue to answer calls with its two full-time crews, and has a back-up vehicle available if needed.

A firefighter was injured Sunday morning working to contain a fire that completely gutted a home in Jefferson City, MO








 

Residential fire destroys Jefferson City home


Residential fire destroys Jefferson City home
 by Jasmine Lee, KOMU 8 Reporter, Lauren Donovan, KOMU 8 Digital Producer
Updated: Aug 31, 2015 1:05 AM

JEFFERSON CITY, MO


A firefighter was injured Sunday morning working to contain a fire that completely gutted a home in Jefferson City.

Jefferson City Fire Chief Jason Turner said the injured firefighter is currently being hospitalized, but is hopeful he will be released tomorrow.

The injured firefighter fell as walls and floors collapsed in the home at 1207 E. McCarty St. The firefighter's injuries were not life threatening.

Firefighters arrived on scene around 1:41 a.m. to find heavy smoke coming from the two-story home. No one was inside during the fire. It took firefighters about 30 minutes to bring the fire under control.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, although officials said they are not ruling out arson.

"We want to make sure we have covered all of the avenues and we studied the evidence that is in front of us," Turner said. "That way if it is an accidental fire, we can prove that. And then if it is a intentionally set fire, we have all the information we have to prosecute."

Turner also said he had trouble finding the contact information of the homeowner because they had to distinguish the previous homeowners from the current resident.

One area resident Kevin Cain said the fire went unnoticed by many neighbors until after it was out.

"It was a pretty quiet night. There was one gentleman I saw sitting over by the church, but it was pretty quiet and there was not any traffic," Cain said.

Cain lives on McCarty Street and was sitting on his porch when he saw the patrol cars passing his house.

"The smoke was a big cloud across the street," Cain said. "You could see the patrol men and the firefighters walking in to the smoke but then you could barely make out their bodies walking through."

He also mentioned that the smoke was a very strange odor and not anything like burning wood.

SC firefighter fractures bones falling through porch, keeps fighting fire

AUGUST 31, 2015

By John Paul

LANCASTER COUNTY, S.C. —

A Lancaster County firefighter kept battling a house fire Friday night even after he was injured when the front porch collapsed beneath him.

Capt. Ray Ingram, 33, with the Shiloh Zion Volunteer Fire Department fell through a concrete porch while fighting a fire at an abandoned house on Monroe Highway.

Ingram caught his fall on camera thanks to a camera he attaches to his helmet.


Another firefighter pulled Ingram out, but despite breaking his tail bone and a vertebrae, Ingram continued fighting the fire.

“I knew I was hurt, but I didn't know to what extent. We still had work to do,” Ingram said.

Ingram was then taken to Springs Memorial Hospital, where a CT scan revealed he suffered a fractured vertebra and a fractured tailbone.

“This is just a bump in the road. Hopefully in a couple weeks I’ll be back,” Ingram said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

a team of researchers predict that plastic ingestion will affect 99 per cent of the world’s seabird species by 2050.


 


99 Percent of Seabirds to Eat Plastic by 2050


By MarEx 2015-08-31 17:34:12

Based on an analysis of published studies since the early 1960s, a team of researchers predict that plastic ingestion will affect 99 per cent of the world’s seabird species by 2050.

The researchers from Australian research organization CSIRO and Imperial College London have found that plastic is increasingly common in seabird’s stomachs. In 1960, plastic was found in the stomach of less than five per cent of seabirds, rising to 80 per cent by 2010.

The study, led by Dr Chris Wilcox with co-authors Dr Denise Hardesty and Dr Erik van Sebille, estimate that 90 per cent of all sea birds alive today have eaten plastic of some kind. This includes bags, bottle caps, and plastic fibres from synthetic clothes, which have washed out into the ocean from urban rivers, sewers and waste deposits. Birds mistake the brightly colored items for food, or swallow them by accident, and this causes gut impaction, weight loss and sometimes death.

Dr Denise Hardesty from CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere says seabirds are excellent indicators of ecosystem health. “Finding such widespread estimates of plastic in seabirds is borne out by some of the fieldwork we’ve carried out where I’ve found nearly 200 pieces of plastic in a single seabird,” she says.

The researchers found plastics will have the greatest impact on wildlife where they gather in the Southern Ocean, in a band around the southern edges of Australia, South Africa and South America.

Dr van Sebille, from the Grantham Institute at Imperial College London, says the plastics have the most devastating impact in the areas where there is the greatest diversity of species. “We are very concerned about species such as penguins and giant albatrosses, which live in these areas," van Sebille says. “While the infamous garbage patches in the middle of the oceans have strikingly high densities of plastic, very few animals live here.”

Hardesty adds there is still the opportunity to change the impact plastic has on seabirds. “Improving waste management can reduce the threat plastic is posing to marine wildlife,” she says. “Even simple measures can make a difference. Efforts to reduce plastics losses into the environment in Europe resulted in measureable changes in plastic in seabird stomachs with less than a decade, which suggests that improvements in basic waste management can reduce plastic in the environment in a really short time.”

“This is a highly important study that demonstrates just how pervasive plastics are in our oceans” said Dr George H. Leonard, Chief Scientist at the US-based Ocean Conservancy. “Hundreds of thousands of volunteers around the world come face-to-face with this problem during annual Coastal Cleanup events. Scientists, the private sector and global citizens working together against the growing onslaught of plastic pollution can reduce plastic inputs to help protect marine biodiversity.”

The work was carried out as part of a national marine debris project supported by CSIRO and Shell’s Social investment program as well as the marine debris working group at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, with support from Ocean Conservancy.

Hackers presenting themselves as a company in Africa have stolen about $644,000 from a shipping company registered in Cyprus.


Hackers Steal from Cyprus Shipping Company


By MarEx 2015-08-31 19:50:26

Hackers presenting themselves as a company in Africa have stolen about $644,000 from a shipping company registered in Cyprus.

The Limassol-based shipping company received an email purportedly coming from their fuel supplier in Africa requesting that money owed be paid to a different bank account than usual.

Xinhua news agency reports that the company complied only to find out it had been defrauded when it later received an email from the fuel company asking for payment.

The money has been traced to Poland, and Cypriot police are working with Interpol to locate the hackers.

A round table of international shipping associations comprising BIMCO, ICS, Intercargo and INTERTANKO are currently developing standards and guidelines to address the major cyber security issues faced by the shipping industry.

Big-rig overturned and spilled diesel fuel on the Highway 880, creek in Oakland, California

All lanes reopen on I-880 after big-rig overturns, spills fuel

Fuel spill on I-880 in Oakland, Monday, August 31, 2015.
Fuel spill on I-880 in Oakland, Monday, August 31, 2015. (KGO-TV)
All lanes of southbound Interstate Highway 880 in Oakland have reopened after a big-rig overturned and spilled diesel fuel early this morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The crash was reported at 2:09 a.m. on southbound Highway 880 near Hegenberger Road and initially blocked multiple lanes of the highway, CHP officials said.

Some of the spilled diesel fuel went into a nearby creek and hazardous materials crews responded to clean up the spill.



The far right lane of the highway remained blocked throughout the morning commute because of the cleanup, but reopened as of 8:40 a.m., CHP Officer Ron Simmons said.

Crews remain on the right shoulder of the highway this morning to continue cleaning up and to repair a guardrail, Simmons said.

No injuries were reported in the crash, he said.

Tanker truck spills 100 gallons of diesel into Intracoastal off Belleair Beach



WFTS Webteam
4:20 PM, August 31, 2015
2 hours ago





The Coast Guard is working to clean up a fuel spill in the Intracoastal off Belleair Beach.

According to Pinellas Fire dispatch, as much as 100 gallons of diesel may have leaked into the water.

Action News is told the spill occurred as a fuel truck was trying to fuel up a boat in the waterway.

More details to come.

A 40-year-old warehouse worker died Sunday night after he was impaled by a bundle of steel in an industrial accident at Dayton Parts in Harrisburg, PA



  By Christine Vendel | cvendel@pennlive.com

on August 31, 2015



HARRISBURG, PA


A 40-year-old man died Sunday night after he was impaled by a bundle of steel in an industrial accident in Harrisburg, fire officials said Monday.

The accident occurred just before 11 p.m. at Dayton Parts, in the 1300 block of North Cameron Street.

The victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Firefighters stayed at the scene until 2 a.m. Monday stabilizing the steel bundle and helping the coroner to free the body.
 

Dayton Parts website

The victim's name was not released.

According to Fire Chief Brian Enterline:

The worker was operating a forklift machine and removing bundles of steel from 24-foot shelving in the warehouse. The worker had removed one bundle, and in the process, inadvertently dislodged a second bundle, causing it to jut out into the aisle.

The worker turned his forklift around to proceed down the narrow aisle and apparently didn't see the second bundle sticking out. Three sections of flat steel bars penetrated his chest.

A second worker who was waiting in a steel cutting area went to check on the first worker when he didn't arrive as planned with the bundle. That's when emergency workers were called to the scene.

Federal workplace safety officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the warehouse Monday morning, Enterline said.

The forklift had a roof and metal caging around the driver's seat, to provide rollover protection, but the front was not enclosed. The forklift is situated off the side of the machine instead of the front to be able to pull the bundles from the shelving.

Each steel bundle can be 20 feet long and weigh several tons.

The company operates around the clock in three shifts to transform steel into springs used for vehicle undercarriages.

Other workers were sent home after the accident, Enterline said.

"It's a tragic situation," he said.

Officials from Dayton Parts declined to comment Monday saying they wanted to respect the privacy of their co-worker and his family.

Florida Highway Patrol : the track ran its course “in the opposite direction of how it was designed to be run and this led to the car being impaled by a guardrail.”


Report Confirms Cause Of Speedway Instructor’s Death



August 31, 2015
 

A report has been released by the Florida Highway Patrol about their findings in the fatal April accident at the Exotic Driving Experience, an attraction that utilized the Walt Disney World Speedway. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLORIDA — A report has been released by the Florida Highway Patrol about their findings in the fatal April accident at the Exotic Driving Experience, an attraction that utilized the Walt Disney World Speedway.


The report states that the track ran its course “in the opposite direction of how it was designed to be run and this led to the car being impaled by a guardrail.”

Gary Terry, 36, was working as a driving instructor in a Lamborghini driven by Tavon Watson, 24, of Kissimmee. Watson spun out in the car and crashed into a guardrail, killing Terry.

The report stated that Watson had been traveling 102 mph, he lost control and “at 88mph, the turn Watson was accelerating out of ‘would exceed the traction force of the tires on the surface.’”

Crash investigator FHP Cpl. David Rodriguez said, “If the cars were going in the proper direction, yes, this probably would not have been a fatal accident.”




The report stated: “Terry’s car would not have been exposed to the guardrail’s end had the Exotic Driving Experience run its cars counterclockwise, according to a recently released FHP investigation. Richard Petty Driving Experience ran its NASCAR automobiles counterclockwise, the direction for which the track was designed. Its affiliated Exotic Driving Experience’s cars traveled clockwise.”

Charges were not filed against Watson, but an investigation is still underway by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

A 3-vehicle crash on I-240 near Sam Cooper Boulevard killed one child and injured five other people in Tennessee




(Source: WMC Action News 5) MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) -


Four injured, one infant and one woman killed in major crash on I-240

Posted: Aug 30, 2015
By WMCActionNews5.com Staff

A crash on I-240 near Sam Cooper Boulevard killed one child and injured five other people.

The crash happened Sunday night.

Police said a vehicle stalled on the interstate causing several other cars to crash. Police later said that three vehicles were found heavily damaged.

Doctors at Baptist Hospital said one infant died. A second child went to Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in non-critical condition. One person was taken to Regional One in critical condition. Two others went to Regional One in non-critical condition. One person was taken to Baptist East Hospital in non-critical condition.

Memphis police identified Tiffany Wilkins, 26, died at Regional One. They also identified 5-month-old Tyrese Parker as the infant that was killed.

Traffic was backed up for a while as crews investigated and cleaned up the crash site.

Westside High School employee dies after 12-foot fall from roof in Tennessee




 

Dan Roach (Source: Emerson Funeral Home) CRAIGHEAD COUNTY, AR (KAIT) -
  Posted: August 31, 2015
Posted by Region 8 Newsdesk


 A Region 8 school employee died after falling from a roof while working last week.

Audie Daniel "Dan" Roach of Walnut Ridge died Saturday at the Elvis Presley Trauma Center in Memphis.

Roach was injured when he fell off the Westside High School roof on Aug. 24.

He was a maintenance worker at the school.

Westside Superintendent Bryan Duffie said it was about a 12 foot drop.

A memorial service will be held for Monday night at 6:30 at First Freewill Baptist Church of Walnut Ridge.

The burial will be private and there will be no public visitation.

His family asks that those who want to provide a lasting memorial donate to the Westside Consolidated Schools’ backpack program.

Those donations can be mailed to 1834 Hwy 91 West, Jonesboro, Arkansas 72404.

A male pedestrian died after he was struck by an SUV in southwest Houston, Texas


Man dies after getting hit by SUV in southwest Houston
KHOU Staff, KHOU.com 9:38 a.m. CDT August 31, 2015



(Photo: Air 11)


HOUSTON, TEXAS


A man died after he was struck by an SUV in southwest Houston, police said Monday.

The incident was reported on W. Bellfort at Larkwood around 5:15 a.m.

The pedestrian was crossing W. Bellfort when he was struck by a Mitsubishi Montero, according to the Houston Police Department. Views from Air 11 showed that the pedestrian died at the scene.

The SUV driver stopped to talk with police. He said he had a green light at the time of the incident.

It was unclear if the pedestrian was in a crosswalk or not, but police said no charges have been filed in the case. Alcohol was not factor in the incident.

The incident was reported on W. Bellfort at Larkwood around 5:15 a.m. (Photo: Air 11)

TO THE FIRING SQUAD: Pregnant Woman, Unborn Child Die After Being Dumped From Car by a Georgia Man





(Photo of the criminal thug: CBS News)

CBS News, CBSNews.com 5:18 p.m. EDT August 29, 2015


 
LEXINGTON, Ga. - 


A Georgia man is behind bars after he allegedly kidnapped his pregnant girlfriend, then dumped her along the roadside during a police chase. The woman and her unborn child died.

According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, police called to a home in Oglethorpe County on August 23 for a domestic disturbance saw Ryan Arnold, 23, running away, shooting a weapon into the air. When they returned the next day, Arnold was allegedly barricaded inside with his girlfriend, Hayley Hill, 23.

Before police could secure the area, the GBI says that Arnold got in his vehicle and fled, eventually dumping Hill out of the car. Officers rendered aid to Hill, who was transported to the hospital, where both she and the unborn child later died.

Meanwhile, other officers pursued Arnold, who allegedly began shooting at the police. The GBI says that he then abandoned the first vehicle and hijacked another, kidnapping the man inside. More gunfire was exchanged and finally Arnold was apprehended.

Paul Davis, 58, the man whose truck Arnold allegedly stole, was wounded in the shooting. According to a GBI spokesperson, police did not realize Arnold was holding Davis hostage in the truck.

According to the GBI, Arnold has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault, one count of feticide, and one count of kidnapping with bodily harm. In light of Hill's death, one of the aggravated assault charges is likely to be upgraded to murder.

THE DEADLY U.S. ROADS: Winnipeg woman killed, several injured in a four vehicle cash in Albertville, Minnesota




The crash happened on the I-94 in Albertville, Minnesota -- about 650 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg.


CTV Winnipeg
Published Sunday, August 30, 2015 5:12PM CST
Last Updated Sunday, August 30, 2015 5:34PM CST


A fatal crash on a Minnesota highway claimed the life of a Winnipeg woman.

Erin Bateman, 38, died in a four-vehicle crash Saturday afternoon.

It happened on the I-94 in Albertville, Minnesota -- about 650 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg.

Bateman's mother was driving the car at the time.

A 10-year-old girl, also in the vehicle, was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

An accident report from the state patrol says all four vehicles were traveling east when a rear end collision occurred.

Eight people were involved in the crash - most of whom sustained minor injuries. 


United States has one of the deadliest road systems in the world, if not the deadliest.  About 34,000 people are killed every year and 2-3 million are injured.  This is on top of the 14,000 homicides committed each year.

So, if you happen to visit, make sure you prepare your will and perhaps say a prayer if you are religious.

1 woman killed, 3 injured in a head-on collision on Highway 306 in Grantsboro, NC



Woman dies in head-on crash in Pamlico County

  By Leland Pinder
POSTED:  August 30 2015

GRANTSBORO, Pamlico County -

Officials with the North Carolina Highway Patrol tell NewsChannel 12 a woman was killed in a head-on collision early Sunday morning.


The crash was reported at 2:12 a.m. along Highway 306 in Grantsboro, according to Sgt. Hill with the NCHP. Officials have identified the deceased woman as 29-year-old Shannah Marie Pierce.

Troopers say Pierce was headed south on the highway when, for unknown reasons, she crossed the center line and crashed head-on into a GMC pickup truck driven by Cody Bennett. Troopers say Pierce, who was traveling alone, died at the scene.

Bennett and two passengers all suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Troopers say while Bennett was not at fault in the crash he has been subsequently charged with DWI. Troopers say he is also underage. Bennett was treated at Carolina East Medical Center in New Bern.

The crash is still under investigation.

NOWHERE SAFE: Woman dies days after being hit by careless driver in Walmart parking lot in Colorado







Colorado Springs Police
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -




Chris Loveless, Digital Content Director , c.loveless@krdo.com
POSTED: August 31, 2015



 Colorado Springs Police say a woman who was hit by a car in the parking lot of an east side Walmart has died.

Kathleen McDermott, 67, was hit by a car driven by Gary Frenzel, 78, on August 26, 2015, according to police. The incident was reported at 8:05 p.m. from the parking lot of the Walmart in the 3200 block of E. Platte Ave.

Police say McDermott died at 9:15 p.m. on August 29, 2015.

Frenzel was cited for careless driving.

The M/T Erin Wood was towed to Scotland’s Peterhead Harbour following a collision with M/V Daroja


Two Ships Collide in UK


By MarEx 2015-08-31 12:21:28

The M/T Erin Wood was towed to Scotland’s Peterhead Harbour following a collision with M/V Daroja on August 30. The U.K. Maritime and Coast Guard Agency (MCA) responded to the collision and no injuries were reported.

The ships were on crossing routes when the Erin Wood made a last-minute course correction, which caused the Cyprus-registered Daroja to slam into the tanker’s bow. The Erin Wood, which is a bunkering tanker, suffered damage to the hull and a ballast compartments to be flooded.

Local authorities are investigating the cause of the collision.

The Daroja is a 4,155 dwt vessel and is operated by German shipping company H&H Bereederung.

Volunteer crews from Britain’s Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) helped rescue a bunker tanker that was nearly capsized after a collision with a containership off Scotland.


Bunker Tanker Saved Off Scotland

August 31, 2015 by Mike Schuler


The heavily listing tanker Erin Wood. Credit: RNLI/Peterhead



Volunteer crews from Britain’s Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) helped rescue a bunker tanker that was nearly capsized after a collision with a containership off Scotland.

The incident occurred Saturday afternoon when the tanker Erin Wood collided with a containership about four miles off Peterhead, located north of Aberdeen on the North Sea.

Damage to the tanker was severe enough that when RNLI crews arrived on scene they found the vessel nearly capsized, taking on water through the wheelhouse, disabling all power and engines. The ship’s two crewmembers remained onboard but launched the boat’s liferaft in case they had to abondon ship. RNLI lifeboat volunteers help pump the vessel out. Credit: RNLI/Peterhead



A number of volunteer crew from two RNLI lifeboats were transferred to the tanker with a salvage pump and assisted the two crew in pumping out the engine room and cabin to prevent capsize. After a several of hours of pumping, the tanker was stable enough to be tow to Peterhead harbour by the trawler Ocean Endeavor. Once there the Erin Wood was berthed on the south breakwater and the lifeboat crews were stood down at 11:45 p.m., the RNLI reports.

The sea conditions were 1–2 meter swells and wind was 11-16 knots SSW, RNLI says.

‘Historic’ Zohr Gas Discovery Off Egypt Re-Writes Israel’s Energy Playbook



August 31, 2015 by Reuters


File photo (c) Eni



By Ari Rabinovitch and Eric Knecht

JERUSALEM/CAIRO, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Egypt’s historic gas discovery threatens to sink Israel’s fledgling gas export bonanza, which was counting on deals with Cairo to get it off the ground.

Italian oil company Eni stunned markets on Sunday after declaring the Mediterranean’s biggest-ever and the world’s 20th largest gas discovery off Egyptian waters, in the Zohr field holding an estimated 30 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas.

Zohr jeopardizes lucrative deals being negotiated between Israeli companies and their Western counterparts operating in Egypt, which may now no longer need to import.

Shares in U.S. based Noble Energy, which is developing Israel’s biggest gas field Leviathan with Israeli energy companies, fell 7.1 percent at $32.08 in New York.

Israel’s top energy firms, including Delek Group, Avner Oil and Ratio, saw 4.5 billion shekels ($1.14 billion) wiped off their market capitalisation on Monday.

“It’s a bit early to assess the quality of the data and their significance, but if they are accurate, the discovery off Egypt’s coast is bad news for the Israeli economy and the companies holding the (gas) assets in particular,” said Eldad Tamir, chief executive of Israel investment house Tamir Fishman.

Zohr reserves will be direct competitors to the Israeli projects, potentially driving down prices along with profit margins, he said.

Delek Group, a partner in Israel’s largest gas field Leviathan, sought to reassure investors by saying foreign firms in Egypt will still need Israeli supplies.

“For Israel, this closes the option of exports to Egypt but the real motherload for Israel was the domestic market,” said Brenda Shaffer, energy specialist at the University of Haifa.

Accounting for around 40 percent of Egypt’s proven gas reserves, Zohr, which analysts say could prove to be far larger, will reduce the country’s dependence on sea-borne gas imports and revive industrial capacity idled due to gas shortfalls.

“Accordingly, we expect significant capacity expansion plans to be revived over the coming 6-12 months and expect foreign direct investment to recover sharply in sync,” Cairo-based Pharos Research said in a note on Monday.

After four years of turmoil, rising gas demand turned Egypt from net exporter to importer, luring Israeli resource firms looking for export markets to justify developing their own sizeable gas deposits, previously the Mediterranean’s biggest.

Explorers lured by rising earnings on oil and gas production set by the Egyptian state are seeing the country in a new light even though they are collectively still owed billions, unlocking major new investments and boosting reserves.

“This is important geopolitically for Egypt, it’s a sign of confidence in (President Abdel Fattah) al-Sisi’s economic policies,” Shaffer said. (Additional reporting by Tova Cohen in Tel Aviv, writing by Oleg Vukmanovic, editing by William Hardy)

Drunk man in critical condition after a speeding ATV rolled over and pinned him underneath in Monroe County, WI




 
Tomah man seriously hurt in ATV crash 


Posted: Aug 31, 2015 12:48 PM EST Updated: Aug 31, 2015 12:48 PM EST
By Kevin Millard


 Sparta, Wisconsin (WXOW) --- -

A Tomah man suffers possible life threatening injuries in an ATV crash in Monroe County Sunday.

Emergency responders were sent to County Highway M just south of Highway 21 in the Town of Greenfield at 11:33 p.m. for the crash.

According to the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, an ATV driven by Vincent J. Davis was headed down County M and tried to make a sharp turn into a driveway. The ATV rolled over and pinned Davis underneath. Before first responders arrived, Davis' friends were able to get the ATV off of him and start first aid.

Davis was originally taken to Tomah Memorial Hospital for treatment, but later airlifted to Gundersen Health System in La Crosse with possible life threatening injuries.

While the crash remains under investigation by the sheriff's office, a statement said their initial findings that alcohol and speed are believed to be factors in the crash.

A construction worker died Monday morning after falling 15 feet through the roof of a mall under construction in Longmont, Colorado






Worker dies after fall through mall roof at Village at the Peaks in Longmont



Deb Stanley 

August 31, 2015

 



LONGMONT, Colo. - 


A construction worker died Monday morning after falling through the roof of a mall under construction, according to Longmont Police.

Two workers were on the roof of the Village at the Peaks when one of them, a 40-year-old man from Aurora, fell 15 feet, according to Longmont Police commander Jeff Satur.

Satur told 7NEWS the second worker ran down to the victim, but found him unresponsive. The man died.

“We are deeply saddened by the news we received this morning about the tragic accident that took place at the construction site," said Allen Ginsborg, managing director with NewMark Merrill Mountain States. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of this construction worker. "

Workers with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the accident.

The Village at the Peaks is replacing the old Twin Peaks Mall. Developers say the $85 million redevelopment will offer shopping, restaurants and entertainment.

Driver killed after he runs stop sign with his Corvette in Nashville, Tennessee and is T-boned by two vehicles; 3 others injured.





AUGUST 31, 2015

UPDATE: Man Killed In Crash On Elm Hill Pike Identified

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A person has died following a two-car collision on Elm Hill Pike near Donelson.

The incident happened Monday just before 7:00 a.m. in eastbound lanes of Elm Hill Pike at Appleton Drive. Officials with Metro police said the driver of a Corvette was killed in the crash.

Police have identified the victim as 58-year-old Darvis Hudson of McMurray Drive.

Police said Hudson was driving South on Appleton Drive approaching Elm hill Pike, when he ran a stop sign.

During the turn onto Elm Hill, a westbound 2015 Ford van, struck the Corvette in the driver’s side door. Both vehicle went into the eastbound lanes of Elm Hill Pike and were struck by a 2006 Chrysler Sebring.

Two people were inside the Corvette at the time of the crash. Hudson was was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center and pronounced dead. His passenger suffered non-life threatening injuries, but was also transported to the hospital.

Two others were injured in the collision, and transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police said there was no evidence of alcohol or drugs involved in the crash.

Elm Hill Pike was blocked at Appleton Drive while officials remained on the scene. The scene has been cleared.

Hazmat situation sends workers to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning after they were using a gas-powered cutting saw without ventilation in Fort Myers, Forida





(Photo: Andrea Melendez/The News-Press)



The incident originated at a construction site. They were using a gas-powered cutting saw without ventilation. The call for service closed down First Street between Jackson and Hendry streets for over an hour. (Andrea Melendez/news-press.com) 


MELISSA MONTOYA, MMONTOYA@NEWS-PRESS.COM 


August 29, 2015

FORT MYERS, FL
 
Three people were sent to the hospital Saturday for carbon monoxide poisoning in downtown Fort Myers, according to the Fort Myers Fire Department.

The call for service came some time after 2 p.m. and closed down First Street between Jackson and Hendry streets for over an hour. Businesses there were evacuated.

The call came in as an unconscious person, said Scott Wirth, division chief of operations for the Fort Myers Fire Department. In total, four people were affected, but only three people were transported.

The two people who were found unconscious were revived by Lee County EMS, Wirth said.

The incident originated at a construction site. The individuals were using a gas-powered cutting saw without ventilation, he said.

"Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless," Wirth said.

After about an hour, the building was ventilated and turned over to the construction crew.

"If you're using anything that creates exhaust, you want to use it in a well-ventilated area," Wirth said.

Lanes on I-490 near Rochester, New York were littered with thousands of heads of cabbage after a truck rolled over.











(Photo: Tina MacIntyre-Yee, Democrat & Chronicle)

Cabbage truck crash delays traffic on N.Y. expressway
USA Today Network Democrat & Chronicle


August 31, 2015


Lanes on I-490 near Rochester, New York were littered with thousands of heads of cabbage after a truck rolled over. VPC

Nothing like the smell of cabbage during your Monday morning commute.

A cabbage truck overturned on a New York expressway causing delays.

Lanes on Interstate 490 East are blocked and the left and center lanes on Interstate 490 West are closed between Clinton Avenue and Alexander Street in Rochester, N.Y.

The crash happened near the South Goodman exit.

300,000 eggs gone, traffic stopped for 7 hours, after semi-truck's back wheels caught fire on I-95 in Milford, Connecticut





People were stuck on Interstate 95 for hours while crews worked to clean up the mess that was left when a tractor trailer truck that was carrying eggs caught fire. (Published Monday, Aug. 31, 2015)
Fire on Egg Truck Closed I-95 for Almost 7 Hours 


By Jessie Sawyer and LeAnne Gendreau



Interstate 95 North in Milford was closed for almost seven hours on Monday morning after a tractor-trailer carrying hundreds of thousands of eggs caught fire.

The truck was heading from Pennsylvania to Springfield, Massachusetts, when the back wheels caught fire just before 4:30 a.m. and the blaze spread to the inside of the trailer, which was holding 25,000 dozens of eggs worth more than $50,000, according to the Milford Fire-Rescue Department.


The truck driver was able to get out of the truck and was not injured and firefighters put the fire out quickly.

Then came the labor-intensive process of unloading the 300,000 eggs and a forklift was brought in to move the pallets.


For almost seven hours, traffic was detoured off the highway at exit 33 and back on at exit 34.

Photos from Milford Fire-Rescue show several broken eggs littering the highway.


The scene was cleared as of 11:09 a.m.

Biodiesel Plant up in smokes: Missouri Better Bean Plant in Bunceton destroyed, surrounding area evacuated after explosion, fire













Posted: Aug 29, 2015

by KOMU 8 Digital Staff BUNCETON, MO

The flames seem to be under control in Bunceton after an explosion Saturday morning, but the Missouri Better Bean Plant is considered a "total loss".

Because of the contents of the building, the EPA has been contacted to make sure that the surrounding area is safe. Preliminary tests showed that any level of chemicals in the runoff are not considered flammable according to Cooper County Fire Chief David Gehm.

The Cooper County Sheriff's Office confirmed crews were fighting flames at the Missouri Better Bean plant in Bunceton Saturday morning. The plant was evacuated after a late-morning explosion.

The Cooper County EMA said the plant and the area within a half-mile surrounding the plant were evacuated.

The Cooper County Sheriff's Office said it received reports of a fire at Missouri Better Bean Plant around 11 a.m. Deputies said a series of small explosions engulfed the plant in flames. The sheriff's office initially told KOMU 8 News via phone the plant was an ethanol plant. We later learned the plant processes soybeans into biodiesel.

Rhyse Minnick, a resident who lives by the plant, said that he heard the first explosion around 11.a.m. He said he's never seen anything like this before.

"We thought it was dumpsters from the guy across the street who works on dumpsters until we heard the fire department," Minnick said. "When we first stepped outside it was pretty much black smoke covering the air."

Fire crews from Cooper County, Columbia, Howard County, Fortuna, Tipton and other jurisdictions arrived on the scene to fight the flames.

KOMU 8 News has not recieved any information from officials regarding any injuries or deaths stemming from the explosion. Ryan Reuter, a division chief with the Cooper County Fire Protection District, told KOMU 8 news that he has no knowledge of anyone being in the plant at the time of the explosion.

Reuter said two firefighters were being treated for heat exhaustion, no firefighter injuries.

Bunceton mayor Justin Hein said the city is under a boil water advisory.

Hein asked area residents to "send prayers and thank everyone who came, especially all the fire departments that came out."

We will continue to update this developing story.