GoFundMe page set up to help family of electrical worker killed in Ken-Ton accident
By Barbara O'Brien
Updated September 2, 2017
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family of a subcontractor who died in an accident while working at Kenmore West High School Wednesday.
Charles E. Gause of Hamburg was working in an electrical closet as part of the district's capital project when the accident occurred.
The closet was off-limits to students and staff, and school was not in session that day. Power in the building was shut off for several hours, and restored later Wednesday, according to Patrick Fanelli, community relations coordinator for the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District.
Gause, 48, was married and the father of three children. Donations to offset the cost of the funeral and living expenses can be made to the GoFundMe page.===========================
Electrical Worker Dies at Kenmore West High School
By Mark Wozniak • 17 hours ago
The Kenmore-Tonawanda school district has announced that a worker in an electrical closet died in an accident before 7:30 Wednesday morning at Kenmore West High School.
Kenmore West High School
At this point the identity of the victim or the subcontractor employing the worker have not been released.
Electrical work was being done as part of the school district's capital project, in an area away from student and staff access.
Teachers had returned to the building Tuesday, but students won't be back until next week.
The Kenmore Tonawanda School District issued the following statement:
"The Ken-Ton School District was deeply saddened to learn that a worker with an electrical sub-contractor passed away Wednesday, August 30 as a result of an accident that took place while electrical work was being conducted in a district building.
The hearts and thoughts of staff are with the worker's family and friends, and our sincerest sympathies are extended to all those affected by this loss.
The district is fully cooperating with the investigation of this matter, and remains committed to ensuring that work on district property is performed safely and in accordance with all applicable workplace standards."
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TOWN OF TONAWANDA, NY-- A contractor doing work for the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District died while performing work at one of the district's buildings.
The incident happened Wednesday morning while electrical work was being done at Kenmore West High School.
The district says they are cooperating with the investigation. The district did not identify the worker.
They issued this statement:
The hearts and thoughts of staff are with the worker's family and friends, and our sincerest sympathies are extended to all those affected by this loss.
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Electrician killed while working at Kenmore West High School
By Nancy A. Fischer
August 30, 2017
A subcontractor working in an electrical closet at Kenmore West High School died in an accident early Wednesday morning, a school district official said.
The district has not identified the worker or the company for which he worked.
The incident happened prior to 7:30 a.m. as electrical work was being performed as part of the school district's capital project, said Patrick Fanelli, community relations coordinator for the Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda School District.
Teachers returned to the high school on Tuesday, but no students were in the building at the time because they are still on summer break, Fanelli said.
The worker had been doing work in the electrical closet – a central hub for electrical services for the school – which is off-limits to staff and students, he said.
"Our hearts and thoughts of staff are with the worker's family and friends, and our sincerest sympathies are extended to all those affected by this loss," the Ken-Ton district said in a statement. "The district is fully cooperating with the investigation of this matter and remains committed to ensuring that work on district property is performed safely and in accordance with all applicable workplace standards."
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was notified and investigators from the federal agency were on the scene Wednesday morning, according to the district.
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) - An electrical sub-contractor passed away Wednesday after an accident at a Ken-Ton district building.
The contractor was doing "routine" electrical work at Kenmore West High School, part of the district's capital improvement plan, when the accident happened, according to a spokesperson for the district. The man was not an employee at the district.
OSHA is looking into the incident and had compliance inspectors on scene Wednesday, according to a spokesperson. The agency is inspecting CIR Electrical Construction Corp., the sub-contractor working the job at the school.
These type of investigations can take up to six months, according to OSHA.
7 Eyewitness News reached out to CIR Electrical and the worker's union, IBEW Local 41. Both declined to comment.
The district released the statement Wednesday morning:
The district is fully cooperating with the investigation of this matter, and remains committed to ensuring that work on district property is performed safely and in accordance with all applicable workplace standards.
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GAUSE, Charles E.
GAUSE - Charles E. Of Hamburg, suddenly August 30, 2017. Loving husband of Christy (nee Wingels); devoted father of Michael, Bailey and Gabrielle Gause; son of Uleda and the late Carlos Gause; brother of Preston (Debbie) and Paul (Linda) Gause; also survived by 10 nephews and 7 nieces. Charles will be greatly missed. Friends are invited to a Memorial Service at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 4005 Baker Rd., Orchard Park, Monday at 10 a.m. Visitation at the DONALD M. DEMMERLEY FUNERAL HOME, INC., 21 Pierce Ave., Hamburg, Sunday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Flowers declined. Donations may be made to https://www.
gofundme.com/support-Christys-family. Visit www.demmerleyfuneralhome.com