3 people killed and more than a dozen injured when a Jeep struck several people at Lynnway Auto Auction in Billerica, Massachusetts

3 people killed when out-of-control Jeep crashes at auto auction, 5 Investigates reports

Updated: 12:31 PM EDT May 3, 2017


BILLERICA, Massachusetts —

Three people died and more than a dozen people were injured Wednesday when a Jeep struck several people at an auto auction in Billerica, 5 Investigates has learned.


The crash happened just after 10 a.m. at the Lynnway Auto Auction on Charter Way, about 90 minutes after an auction was scheduled to begin.


The Jeep was in one of the facility's eight lanes when it suddenly accelerated and struck the victims, witnesses said.

Woody Tuttle, an auto auction employee, said the driver of the Jeep was trying to avoid hitting other vehicles when it struck several people who were standing between the lanes.

“I heard a screeching of tires, and, I believe, a Jeep Cherokee went flying by me. In avoiding the cars, whoever was driving this vehicle hit several people,” Tuttle said.

The Jeep then crashed through the side of the building.

“(The driver) avoided the cars, and went on to hit the people who were standing between the cars," Tuttle said. "Three (men) were on the ground being tended to. There was a woman who was crying, but she was standing up, and I saw two men on the ground who appeared to be dead."

Randy Miller, who was attending the auction said it appeared the vehicle was traveling about 40 mph.

“We heard a bang or an explosion. It was almost like a bomb. The whole place just went silent,” Miller said. “There were people just lying on the ground -- a horrific, crazy, tragic situation.”

Massachusetts State Police said there were "multiple victims," and more than 12 ambulances were called to the scene.

Lahey Hospital and Medical Center said it was treating six people injured in the crash, while Lowell General Hospital said it had three others.

"At this point, there is no evidence or information to suggest the incident was caused by an intentional or terrorist act. All evidence and information at this time suggests an accidental cause," State Police said.

The building has been evacuated. 



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Car Crashes at Mass. Auto Auction; At Least 2 Dead
By Marc Fortier, Eli Rosenberg and Perry Russom



At least two people are dead and several others critically injured after a vehicle crashed into a wall at an auto auction site in Billerica, Massachusetts, on Wednesday morning.

2 Dead, Multiple Injured After Car Crashes into Building
A car crashed into a building in the area of 400 Lynnway Road in Billerica, Massachusetts, on Wednesday morning.(Published 2 hours ago)

Massachusetts State Police said they are assisting Billerica police and that "multiple victims" have been reported. They confirmed that there are fatalities, but did not say how many.

Detectives from the district attorney's office are also responding.


'Blood Everywhere': Witnesses Recall Car Auction Crash Chaos

"At this point there is no evidence or information to suggest the incident was caused by an intentional or terrorist act," state police said in a statement. "All evidence and information at this time suggests an accidental cause."


A spokesman at Lahey Hospital in Burlington said six patients from the car auction crash are there. He said the majority are in critical condition.

Chaos at Car Auction After Car Crashes into Building
A car crashed into a building in the area of 400 Lynnway Road in Billerica, Massachusetts, on Wednesday morning.(Published 2 hours ago)

Lowell General Hospital said they have three patients at their main campus. There was no immediate word on their conditions.

The accident occurred at 10 a.m. at the Lynnway Auto Auction on Charter Way. According to its website, Lynnway Auto Auction has been a dealer consignment auction since 1997.


Someone who was there told NBC Boston a Jeep Cherokee was inside the auction site and someone was moving it when they lost control and hit a wall. Witnesses said the driver was an older male, around 75 years old, and that he may have had a medical episode.

"It's pretty bad," witness Andre Fedorov said. "There was a loud noise, everyone started running. Just a car was through the wall, there were people on the ground.

PHOTOS: 2 Dead After Accident at Auto Auction in Mass.
NBC Boston

"It was definitely an accident," he added. "It wasn't purposeful."

Video from inside the scene shows people milling around the building as the injured are being attended to.

Aerial footage from NBC Boston's Sky Ranger helicopter shows dozens of firefighters and first responders treating injured people outside the building.

Family members of people who were at the auto auction have also begun to arrive at the scene looking for news on their loved ones.

Witness Describes Crash: 'Everyone Started Running'
Andre Fedorov described the moments when a car crashed into a building in Billerica, Mass., killing at least 2.(Published 58 minutes ago)

Police said the investigation is ongoing. No further information was immediately available.

A similar incident occurred two years ago at an auction house in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Multiple people were injured when a 78-year-old man who was driving a vehicle at the auction accidentally accelerated, striking numerous people and vehicles. Most of the people injured in that incident were not seriously hurt.

Dr. J. Don Lance, killed in the parking lot of Bird-Kultgen Ford by an employee of the dealership driving an SUV

Longtime Waco oral surgeon dies after being hit at Ford dealership

By MIKE COPELAND mcopeland@wacotrib.com


A longtime Waco oral surgeon, Dr. J. Don Lance, died Monday after being struck in the parking lot of Bird-Kultgen Ford on April 20 by an employee of the dealership driving an SUV, according to the Waco Police Department.


Lance, 77, suffered head injuries in the collision and was transported by ambulance to Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center, Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said.


Waco attorney John Mabry, who is representing the Lance family, said it is his understanding Lance had remained in the hospital since being injured. The Lance family declined comment, and the hospital would confirm only that Lance had died.


Swanton, citing a police report prepared by responding officers, said Lance suffered “significant injuries, including head injuries and possible facial fractures. He was in critical condition.”


He said Lance was walking in the parking lot of the dealership about 8:15 a.m. April 20, “when two Bird-Kultgen employees in a Ford Expedition were opening the gates to the dealership grounds. As the vehicle was backing through the parking lot, he was knocked to the ground. He was unconscious when EMS arrived on the scene.”


Peter Kultgen, who oversees the family-owned dealership, said he would have no comment on the incident.



Mabry said Lance had driven his vehicle to Bird-Kultgen for servicing that morning. He said Lance had practiced oral surgery locally for “several decades” and had continued to work as a consultant in the field after his retirement.


“At this point, we are simply investigating the matter on behalf of the Lance family,” Mabry said. “We hope to receive the cooperation of Bird-Kultgen and its insurance carrier, and we will see where that takes us. Bird-Kultgen is a staple of this community and run by fine people. But again, it all depends on their insurance company, which I’m sure will have input on how this matter is settled.”


Bird-Kultgen can trace its founding to 1936. In 1993, it became the first car lot to relocate to W. Loop 340, which has become known as Waco’s “Motor Mile.”

Boulder County employee Faulkner Merdes crushed to death after his ATV overturned and landed on top of him along the Lobo Trail near Niwot

 Boulder County employee Faulkner Merdes, dead at 45

Boulder County employee dies in ATV accident
He was found along the Lobo Trail near Niwot, unconscious, with his ATV on top of him just after 11 a.m.


By Monte Whaley | mwhaley@denverpost.com | The Denver Post
May 2, 2017 at 7:49 pm


A 45-year-old Longmont man and 18-year veteran of Boulder County Parks & Open Space died as a result of an ATV accident Tuesday morning.

The Boulder County coroner identified the victim as Faulkner Merdes, 45, of Longmont.

Merdes was found along the Lobo Trail near Niwot, unconscious, with his ATV on top of him just after 11 a.m. His two co-workers were able to move the ATV off of him. While one began CPR, the other called for help, according to the sheriff’s office.

Despite resuscitative efforts, Merdes was pronounced dead at the scene.

The three men were working on the county-owned Bielens-Hock property, which is south of the 8400 block of the Diagonal Highway. They were doing weed prevention and control.

Merdes was working with an ATV on one portion of the property while his two co-workers were working on another on a separate ATV.

Deputies are investigating the circumstances leading up to the accident.

Lighton Industries employee seriously injured after he fell 30 feet into an electric vault while working at the Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences campus in Newark, NJ

 The vault a worker fell into. (Courtesy Newark Public Safety)

Firefighters conducted a high angle rescue to get the injured worker out of the hole. (Courtesy Newark Public Safety)



  By Jessica Mazzola | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
 
May 03, 2017


NEWARK, NJ -- An electrical company employee suffered serious injuries Tuesday after falling about 30 feet into a vault while working in Newark, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a release.



The worker, an employee of Lighton Industries, fell into an underground electrical vault at about 8 a.m. Tuesday while working at the Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences campus on Bergen Street.

EMS crews treated the man in the hole, and about 30 firefighters conducted a high-angle rescue to remove the injured man from the hole, Ambrose said.

The rescue involved a belay system and a rescue basket to remove the worker from the vault, he said.

Once out, the man was taken to the hospital.

Lighton and Rutgers spokespeople did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday morning on what work the company was doing on campus, and the circumstances of the man's fall.

Rutgers police and officials from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration also responded to the scene to assist in the rescue, officials said.

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Please allow me to take a moment of your time to introduce Lighton Industries, Inc., general, electrical and mechanical contractors since 1980.

Founded as an electrical contractor in Toms River, New Jersey, our initial dedication and endeavors permitted us to expand and enlarge to encompass the full range of services we now provide.

Our present Toms River, New Jersey complex serves as headquarters for our 100 employees, all of whom strive to continue serving with the same initiative on which we were established. Our proficiency in consultation and/or renovation for federal, state, county, municipalities, and school districts as well as SCC projects has earned us our expert reputation, which is proudly exhibited by our entire staff.

As an equal opportunity employer, Lighton Industries, Inc. has been able to generate broad experience in all aspects of construction, including electrical work, carpentry, mechanical, plumbing and process piping, telecommunications, etc. This continually enables us to complete projects from start to finish in a most timely manner and with the highest regard to the wants, needs, and exacting specifications of our customers.

Our estimators, office staff, and foremen in the field are all talented professionals with many years of experience working as a team. As always, their priority is to get the job done, to the client's complete satisfaction.

We are the company you are looking for.

Sincerely,

Gerard M. Aliseo

President
 Our Expertise

WE SPECIALIZE IN FEDERAL, STATE & MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS

CONSTRUCTION Expanding from the field of electrical contracting, Lighton Industries Inc. has grown at an impressive rate over the past decade into general contracting. Lighton Industries Inc. has the combined supervisory experience to subcontract additional needs to only the best and most reliable construction artisans. Their project managers have had over twenty years experience in the construction industry. This experience is brought into play in every facet of every construction job.	ELECTRICAL Founded as an electrical contractor, Lighton Industries Inc. especially prides itself on the excellence of the aspect of their work. Lighton Industries (a union shop) maintains a highly proficient and skilled electrical staff of Foremen and Electricians qualified and skilled even for high voltage and line work. They are totally involved in every way with whatever the electrical needs are for any and all projects, including photo voltaic solar powered systems.
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING Building on the experience from apartments, office and industrial buildings heating and cooling needs, Lighton Industries Inc. has established a reputation for excellence in this area of construction demands as well. Examples of this expertise is demonstrated in the extensive HVAC work performed in various Federal prisons as well as school projects for the NJ Schools Construction Corp., a multiple occupant government complex, and the completion of a $3.5 million pilot program for Fort Monmouth, NJ.
TELECOMMUNICATION & DATA SYSTEMS Since 1985, Lighton Industries Inc. has been at the forefront of the computer age, wiring and installing computer, telecommunication, security and CCTV systems, as well as installing category 5, 6 and fiber optics cabling systems for clients on the county, state and federal levels. Keeping ever mindful of the continuing high technological advances, Lighton Industries has completely computerized its own operations from day-to-day bookkeeping to project estimation. They recently added state-of-the-art software company-wide, enabling them to remain ahead of the times in an ever-changing and challenging world of the future. They bring this foresight to each and every one of their clients computer demands, including design and build systems to our clients needs.

Florida Power and Light employee shocked by electricity while performing restoration work behind Nathan Benderson Park

FPL employee injured in accident, rushed to hospital

By Sara Nealeigh

A 61-year-old man was rushed to Sarasota Memorial Hospital on Tuesday afternoon after he was reportedly shocked by electricity, according to officials.

The employee, according to FPL spokesperson Chris McGrath, was performing restoration work when the incident occurred.

Sarasota Fire Department crews were called to an area behind Nathan Benderson Park at 1:13 p.m. Tuesday where an FPL employee had been injured, according to Ashley Lusby, Sarasota County Emergency Services media relations officer.

Crews arrived six minutes later and rushed the 61-year-old FPL employee to Sarasota Memorial Hospital as a trauma alert, Lusby said.


“We are aware of an employee who was injured this afternoon while performing restoration work in Sarasota. We extend our thoughts and prayers to the family of our colleague as he recovers,” McGrath said in a statement from FPL.

WALKING DEAD: Early morning pedestrian struck, dragged 300 feet and killed by two cars in Raleigh, NC

Two vehicles hit, kill pedestrian in Raleigh

Authorities in Raleigh are investigating a fatal crash involving a pedestrian on Louisburg Road

Wednesday, May 03, 2017 07:25AM
RALEIGH, North Carolina (WTVD) -- Authorities in Raleigh are investigating a fatal crash involving a pedestrian on Louisburg Road, just south of Interstate 540.

It happened around 5 a.m.

When police arrived, they found a man dead in the middle of Louisburg Road (US-401) after he was hit by oncoming traffic.


Authorities tell ABC11 that the unidentified man was walking in the street when two vehicles struck him and dragged him about 300 feet.


Northbound Louisburg Road is closed between Spring Forest Road and I-540 as authorities investigate.

Drivers are being advised to avoid the area, if possible.

Pedestrian  deaths are on the rise.  So, always watch for cars when you walk;  the cars will not necessarily watch for you.  This man had no business being on the dark roads at 5:00 am.  Unless he was drunk, on drugs or something like that.