Santa Fe, NM jury awards FedEx truck and pickup truck deadly crash victims record $165M

Santa Fe, NM jury awards FedEx truck and pickup truck deadly crash victims record $165M

 

  January 24, 2015

SANTA FE (KRQE) – It was a horrific crash. A FedEx truck obliterated a pickup back in June 2011 killing a mother and her 4-year-old daughter. Her 19-month-old son survived.
On Friday, a Santa Fe jury decided FedEx should bear most of the blame for that crash and awarded the family $165 million, a record wrongful death judgement in New Mexico, according to the family’s attorneys.

It was 1:30 in the morning on June 22, 2011 when the FedEx big rig slammed into the back of the pickup truck driven by 22-year-old Mariali Venegas on I-10 outside Las Cruces. The El Paso woman was heading to Deming with her 4-year-old daughter and 19-month-old son at the time. The boy was the only survivor.

FedEx driver Elizabeth Quintana was also killed.

Venegas had reportedly pulled over with her hazard lights on. Quintana crashed into her at 65 miles an hour, and the FedEx truck showed no signs of braking, according to attorneys for the family.

“They need to be responsible for their actions,” said Jim Scherr, one of the attorneys representing the family in the case, said Friday night. “The entire time, from the very beginning, they have denied responsibility and tried to pass responsibility off on someone else.”

Scherr said the jury wanted to send a strong message to FedEx to improve driver training, specifically for fatigue and “danger zone driving”–driving between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.

According to FedEx, the case may not be over.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to those affected by this tragic accident,” said FedEx spokesperson Jack Pfeiffer. “We respectfully disagree with the jury’s verdict and are exploring our options, including appeal.”

KRQE News 13 also spoke to Joseph Cervantes, another attorney for the family, Friday night.

Cervantes said if FedEx appeals, the corporate giant is only postponing the inevitable.

5 dead in head-on collision between pickup truck and SUV in Chilton county, Alabama

 5 dead in head-on collision between pickup truck and SUV in Chilton County, Alabama

January 24, 2015
 
CHILTON COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT)–Five people were killed Saturday afternoon in an accident that shut down Highway 22 near Clanton.

Corporal Jess Thornton with ALEA tells WIAT 42 News a pickup truck travelling on Highway 22 attempted to pass another vehicle when it slammed into an SUV in the opposite lane. 

All four occupants of the truck and the single occupant of the SUV that was struck died at the scene. The accident happened around 1:30 p.m.

Super Puma Helicopter in Emergency Landing at Aberdeen Airport

Super Puma Helicopter in Emergency Landing at Aberdeen Airport

Published in Oil Industry News on Saturday, 24 January 2015

A Super Puma yesterday sparked a full scale emergency at Aberdeen International Airport with 3 fire crews sent to the airport as a precaution. 

The drama unfolded after the CHC Super Puma L2 asked for priority landing. CHC have not disclosed much details saying only that it was not a technical issue and that a CHC helicopter landed safely at Aberdeen International Airport at approximately 3.30pm on Friday.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “We were made aware of an emergency landing at 3.30pm. Everyone is safe and officers attended at the scene as a precaution.”

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman confirmed that three fire crews were called to the airport.

Emergency crews were stood down from the scene at 3.47pm.

The drama was the airports second emergency of the day, earlier an inbound Eastern Airways flight from Scatsta Airport in Shetland was forced to make an emergency landing when the crew reported an “unusual odour” in the cockpit. 

Earlier in the week another offshore helicopter, a Bristow operated Sikorsky S-92A was forced to return to Sumburgh when a warning light came on.

Crane and coach bus collision closes road. No injuries reported.

Crane and coach bus collision closes road.  No injuries reported.

January 23, 2015

A coach bus clipped a city type All Terrain crane this morning as it overtook it, while heading north on the M11 motorway, near the M-25 in the UK, blocking one lane on the section between junction five and six.

The overturned crane

The two axle crane – a 20 tonne Kobelco RK200 - owned by Emerson Crane Hire – skidded on the icy road after it was clipped, and overturned onto the verge. The crane operator - miraculously- was completely unhurt, as were the coach driver and his five passengers. This was though one of the few times that a crane has come off worse in a road accident than the other vehicle.

The crane rolled onto the verge

Two hours after the incident however, with the lane closed due to an oil spill, four cars were involved in an incident as they passed the scene. Two women are currently being treated for head and neck injuries.

The damaged bus, evidenced the severity of the collision

Loader crane operator was electrocuted after the boom contacted overhead power lines in Cape Coral, Florida

Loader crane operator was electrocuted after the boom contacted overhead power lines in Cape Coral, Florida

January 24, 2015

A loader crane operator is fighting for his life today, after the boom of the articulated loader crane he was using contacted overhead power lines in Cape Coral, Florida yesterday.

The man was delivering materials to the site of a new home being built in a quiet residential area, and was operating the crane -which was fitted with a block grab - from the controls on the side of the truck. The incident took out the area’s power and caused the operator to go into cardiac arrest. 

Local residents attempted CPR, and the emergency services were quickly on site. He was resuscitated and rushed to hospital, his condition is not known at this time.

The scene after the power was restored, the crane is still on site

Fatal crane accident, as the engine caught fire when the crane fell into an embankment

Fatal crane accident, as the engine caught fire when the crane fell into an embankment

January 24, 2015

 

A crane operator died in the Netherlands yesterday after his crane ploughed into a roundabout embankment in early morning fog.

The crane ploughed into an earth embankment

The five axle 120 tonne crane was towing a three axle counterweight trailer as it drove down the N34 in foggy conditions towards the roundabout under the N33, near Gieten, and carried straight onto the large earth embankment on the centre of the roundabout.

It looks as though the crane may have strayed as it approached the roundabout in dark misty conditions

The crane’s carrier engine caught fire but was quickly extinguished, it took some time though to reach the driver, as the cab was embedded in the embankment. By the time they did he was dead. The crane, owned by rental company Kielstra, was removed from the embankment later in the day. No one else was involved in this sad incident.

The crane was recovered later in the day

FEMALE DRIVER INJURED WHEN A LOGGING TRUCK T-BONES HER CAR IN STANDISH, MAINE

FEMALE DRIVER INJURED WHEN A LOGGING TRUCK T-BONES HER CAR IN STANDISH, MAINE

January 24, 2015

STANDISH, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A 72-year-old woman is in the hospital and her car is completely destroyed after a crash with a fully loaded logging truck.

It happened on Route 25 in Standish at about 4:30 P.M. Friday.

Police say Helen Dobosz drove her car into an intersection and was smashed into on the passenger side by the logging truck. Dobosz was trapped in the car and had to be freed by first responders before being taken to Maine Medical Center.

The three people in the logging truck, Brian Noke (the driver), Richard Noke, and Jason Jockett, weren't hurt.

Route 25 was closed for several hours while crews worked to clear the scene.

Police say they are investigating, but they don't think speed or alcohol were factors in the crash.

FEMALE DRIVER DEAD AFTER SOUTH EAST AUSTIN, TEXAS CRASH WHERE THE VICTIMS’ CAR WAS T-BONED BY A PICKUP TRUCK

FEMALE DRIVER DEAD AFTER SOUTH EAST AUSTIN, TEXAS CRASH WHERE THE VICTIMS’ CAR WAS T-BONED BY A PICKUP TRUCK

 January 24, 2015,

Austin (KXAN)- Austin police said a woman died early Saturday morning when the car she was driving was t-boned by a pickup truck.  She died at the scene.

It happened around 4:15a.m. near the intersection of Burleson and Omni Park roads.

Austin-Travis County EMS estimated the woman was in her 30’s. APD said she was turning onto Burleson when the truck hit her. The force of the crash left both vehicles in a nearby field.

The male driver of the truck was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

A dog was also being evaluated for injuries. APD said Animal Control was handling its care.

Investigators are trying to determine if alcohol played a part in the crash.

After 240+ apartment destruction by the Avalon of Edgewater fire, lawmaker aims at code. However, the lack of sufficient water pressure and fire-fighting infrastructure played the biggest role in this tragedy.

 

After 240+ apartment destruction by the Avalon of Edgewater fire, NJ lawmaker aims at code. However, the lack of sufficient water pressure and fire-fighting infrastructure played the biggest role in this tragedy

  January 24, 2015

(Photo: Associated Press)

EDGEWATER — As power was restored to those living around a luxury apartment complex destroyed by a fire this week, officials thanked those who have supported the more than 1,000 people displaced and a lawmaker announced a planned measure aimed at the state's building code.

Edgewater Mayor Michael McPartland said Friday that power was restored around where the Edgewater at The Avalon burned down across the Hudson River from New York City.
"I'm just so proud of everyone who was involved here," McPartland said. "In a terrible tragedy, what I see coming out of it is the people of Edgewater coming together as a prideful town that we always have been."

Officials say workers accidentally started the fire, and Fire Chief Thomas Jacobson said the building's lightweight, wooden structure fueled the flames and made fighting the fire difficult. The construction was done appropriately based on building codes, officials said, and no one died or was seriously hurt.

Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto said he plans to introduce a bill aimed at strengthening building codes. Prieto worked as a construction code official and said the building's materials may have caused the fire to spread.  However, even now he cannot realize that it was the lack of water infrastructure that was a main contributing factor to the destruction of 240+ luxury apartments.  How can anyone explain to us that code enhancements will prevent another disaster like this, without adequate water pressure in the community?

Unfortunately, the Borough and the County have allowed the building of so many developments in Edgewater without upgrading the infrastructure, be it water, electricity, gas or sewer.  The problem is that the water table is very shallow and the subsurface conditions can accomodate only a certain size of water pipe.  That size is inadequate to accomodate the fire fighting needs of the developments in Edgewater. 

How come the sprinkler system did not contain the fire?  How come a small fire that started in the utility repair location, end up engulfing in flames 240 luxury apartment units?  It was caused by the lack of water.  The videos clearly show that the water sprayed onto the fire it was like urinating in the wind.  It was that pathetic.  We have known for years now about the lack of water pressure in Edgewater.  It is about time that these people wake up and do the right thing, otherwise the next fire will cause fatalities especially if the timing of the fire coincides with when people sleep in the homes.


We  know all the players well and the Departments in this area. This is what happens when you have increased fire load thrust into your community and continue to operate with a volunteer Fire Department. It's not the volunteer's  fault.  But in no way should Edgewater NJ have a volunteer's FD. We have 15,000 residents and some 75,000 that come through town on a daily basis. We have vandals destoying property left and right, especially near the malls and shopping centers. They needed a quick and aggressive interior attack and it is not what we have seen in the videos. The construction played a big part in this fire as Avalon's all over the County have burnt like this. But this was pretty much a job that needed every company that responded to bring big lines and water to get ahead of this fire. And we truly think that they were overwhelmed from the beginning. It's time for NJ to "wake up" and residents should ask for better fire protection across the board and across Bergen County.

"Thank God this devastating fire did not result in any fatalities, but it has shattered the lives of hundreds of people, and reports about how the building's materials and design may have contributed to the spread of the fire are deeply troubling," Prieto said in a statement.
Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco said it will be up to state officials to decide whether the building codes need to be changed.

"Will it be a good idea to take a look at an experience like this so that maybe we can prevent something as catastrophic? Certainly, and I think that's something we would all feel good to do," Tedesco said.

MAN FOUND DEAD AFTER CARLTON, NEW YORK FIRE. GAS CANS AND 50-CALIBER SHELLS WERE EXPLODING DURING THE FIRE.

MAN FOUND DEAD AFTER CARLTON, NEW YORK MASSIVE FIRE.  GAS CANS AND 50-CALIBER SHELLS WERE EXPLODING DURING THE FIRE. 

Saturday, Jan 24, 2015. 

CARLTON, NY — A man was found dead following a structure fire that started Friday afternoon on Route 98, Orleans County sheriff’s deputies said.

Carlton firefighters were dispatched to 2086 Oak Orchard Rd. (Route 98) about 1:40 p.m. A sheriff’s deputy on patrol arrived at the scene within a minute of the call and reported the two-story dwelling fully engulfed in fire.

A neighbor who was at the scene said 50-caliber shells were exploding from inside the house and gas cans also exploded. Route 98 was closed.

The owner and sole resident of the home could not immediately be located and it was believed that he might be in the structure. In addition to the Carlton Fire Department, seven other fire departments from within the county were called to the scene. It was several hours before the fire was completely extinguished.

Once the fire was completely out, a search was initiated and shortly before 10 p.m., an individual was located in the basement of the remaining structure, and pronounced dead by Orleans County Coroner Scott Schmidt.

The body was subsequently removed and transported to the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office in Rochester, for autopsy and positive identification.

In addition to the Sheriff’s Office, the incident remains under investigation by the Orleans County Office of Emergency Management and the state Office of Fire Prevention & Control. A State Police K-9 team assisted with the search for the deceased.

Fire departments responding to the scene included Albion, Barre, FHM (Fancher-Hulberton-Murray), Kendall, Lyndonville, Ridgeway and Medina. Fire departments providing station fill-ins were Elba at Barre and Shelby at Albion.