5 charges against the Nexen Energy for the 2015 Long Lake spill at their oilsands facility southeast of Fort McMurray when five million litres of emulsion, a mixture of bitumen, sand, and water, spilled into Muskeg

Nexen Energy charged in historic oil spill

by Mark Strashok

Posted July 6, 2017

One of the largest pipeline spills in provincial history has resulted in charges against Nexen Energy.

The Alberta Energy Regulator has laid a total of five charges against the Calgary company for the 2015 Long Lake spill at their oilsands facility southeast of Fort McMurray.

About five million litres of emulsion, a mixture of bitumen, sand, and water, spilled into Muskeg during the leak.

The charges relate to releasing a substance that may have caused an adverse effect and disturbance to public lands, failing to report the release as soon as possible and failing to take all reasonable measures to remediate and manage the spill.

Nexen conducted its own investigation into the pipeline rupture, concluding that the design was incompatible with the ground conditions and buckled as the temperature fluctuated.



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Alberta’s top energy watchdog is charging Nexen Energy following a 2015 pipeline accident that spilled enough processed water and bitumen to fill two Olympic swimming pools.

In a Thursday statement, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) announced Nexen is facing five charges under the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act and the Public Lands Act. The company is a subsidiary of the state-owned China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

“Producing oil or gas in Alberta comes with a responsibility to follow all requirements to protect the public and environment,” said Jim Ellis, AER president and CEO, in a statement. “When we believe that the rules are not followed, we have a variety of tools, including laying charges that we can and do use in an attempt to ensure that potential offenders are held accountable.”

On July 15, 2015, a contractor at Nexen’s Long Lake facility accidently discovered the spill during a walk through the area.

Approximately 31,500 barrels of emulsion - a mixture of bitumen, processed water and sand - had spilled and covered an area of 21,900 square-metres.

The pipeline may have been leaking for up to two weeks when the spill was discovered. The safety devices designed to detect pipeline ruptures had failed to alert anyone of the breach

The spill occurred approximately 36 kilometres south of Fort McMurray and approximately 15 kilometres from Anzac and the Fort McMurray First Nation #468.

The spill is the second largest in Alberta’s history. In 2011, a Plains Midstream pipeline leaked 4.5 million litres of crude oil near the First Nation community of Little Buffalo in northwestern Alberta.

The double-lined pipeline itself was not old and had been constructed in 2014. It performed free of any major accidents until the spill was discovered.

Nexen could not be reached for comment. The company is scheduled to appear in a Fort McMurray provincial court on Aug. 16, 2017.

Danny Caldwell, a sanitation worker for the City of Richmond, Indiana, died on Wednesday after falling into a wastewater tank

RICHMOND, Ind. -- Danny Caldwell, a sanitation worker for the City of Richmond, Indiana, died on Wednesday after falling into a wastewater tank.

According to the city of Richmond, Danny Caldwell was performing regular maintenance on a wastewater clarifier tank when personnel lost contact with him.

Emergency personnel found Caldwell submerged in the tank and first responders recovered his body late Wednesday evening.

Caldwell's cause and manner of death remain under investigation.

"This is a difficult and sad day for Danny's family, friends and co-workers," said Richmond Mayor Dave Snow. "Danny was a hard worker and a friend to many. On behalf of the City of Richmond, I would like to offer the deepest of condolences to Danny's wife, Anita, and his family. He will be missed."



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RICHMOND, Ind. – A Richmond Sanitation Department worker died Wednesday after falling into a wastewater tank and drowning.

According to Richmond’s Kicks96, the incident happened Wednesday evening at the Liberty Avenue plant. The employee went missing and first responders were sent to the plant, including a dive team. By 6 p.m., the operation was deemed a recovery effort.

Kicks 96’s Jeff Lane cited an employee who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The source indicated that the victim fell into the wastewater treatment tank and drowned.

Richmond City Attorney Andrew J. Sickmann confirmed the man’s death and identified the worker as Danny Caldwell. According to a news release, Caldwell was performing regular maintenance on a wastewater clarifier tank. When no one could contact him, emergency responders were called to the scene, where they found Caldwell’s body submerged in the tank.

An autopsy was being conducted in Dayton.

Sickmann said a “thorough investigation” would be conducted into the circumstances surrounding Caldwell’s death. Richmond Mayor Dave Snow released a statement about the case:


“This is a difficult and sad day for Danny’s family, friends, and co-workers. Danny was a hard worker and a friend to many. On behalf of the City of Richmond, I would like to offer the deepest of condolences to Danny’s wife, Anita, and his family. He will be missed.”



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(Richmond, IN)--A Richmond Sanitation Department employee was killed Wednesday afternoon. First responders, including a dive team, were sent to the Liberty Avenue plant after the employee went missing and was thought to have fallen into a wastewater tank. At 6 o’clock Wednesday night, it was being called a recovery effort. The victim’s body was eventually recovered and taken to Dayton for an autopsy. The city has taken the virtually unprecedented step of having the city attorney prepare a press release which provides no details whatsoever of the incident or the identity of the victim, and indicates that no comments will be made. 

One city employee, who spoke exclusively with Kicks 96 and The Point News on the condition of anonymity, has provided a few details. That person is indicating that the victim fell through a hole into a wastewater treatment tank and drowned. According to the source, the hole existed because a grate that should have been covering it was not in place. Richmond’s City Attorney has instructed every city employee to remain silent about the incident other than reading the prepared statement.

Samuel Thompson, a 63-year-old employee of Danville Power and Light, electrocuted to death inside an elevated bucket truck while working on a power line on Applewood Drive in Pittsylvania County, VA

Pittsylvania County, VA
 
Samuel Thompson, a 63-year-old employee of Danville Power and Light, died Thursday morning while working on a power line on Applewood Drive in Pittsylvania County.

Thompson and a co-worker were responding to a power outage in the area at about 8 a.m., according to statement from the city of Danville. Thompson was in an elevated bucket truck when the electrocution occurred.

“We are deeply saddened to lose a member of the Danville utilities family,” Jason Grey, director of Danville Utilities, said in a news release. “This is a difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sam’s family, friends and co-workers.”

Thompson had worked as a lineman for the utilities department for more than 20 years, according to the city.

City Manager Ken Larking confirmed the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into Thompson’s death. He said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration also will be involved in the investigation. In addition, the city of Danville will conduct its own internal probe.

When asked by the Danville Register & Bee what the investigation would involve, Grey declined to comment, saying he couldn’t release anything beyond the city’s statement.

Attempts to reach officials at OSHA were successful Thursday evening.

Danville Utilities distributes electricity to approximately 42,000 customer locations in a 500-square-mile service territory including Danville and the southern third of Pittsylvania County.

The Danville Fire Department and Danville Life Saving Crew responded to the call on the short residential drive just outside the city limits on Thursday morning.

Also, trucks from Pike Electric were seen on Applewood Drive on Thursday morning, but workers declined to speak to the Register & Bee.

According to its website, Pike Electric provides engineering, construction and maintenance.

Mitch Hardy with Pike said in an email the crews were doing “routine maintenance work,” not anything related to the electrocution.

The Danville Fire Department posted condolences to the Thompson family on Facebook.

“He assisted us on hundreds of calls over the years. Sam always smiled and supported us when needed. Please keep his family and co-workers in your prayers as they deal with the loss of Sam under these tragic circumstances,” the post read.

City Councilman James Buckner echoed these condolences, saying “I’d like to encourage everybody to pray for the family.”

“My heart goes out to Sam’s family and his friends,” Larking said in the statement from the city. “We have a close-knit group of co-workers in our utilities division who are grieving his loss. He was well regarded among his friends here and will be missed.”



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City of Danville Power and Light lineman dies on job Thursday morning

Posted: Thursday, July 6, 2017 12:19 pm


A City of Danville Power and Light employee died Thursday morning after he was electrocuted while working on a power line on Applewood Drive in Pittsylvania County. Samuel Thompson, 63, had worked as a lineman for the utilities department for more than 20 years, according to a statement released by the City Manager's Office just after 12 noon.

The accident took place around 8 a.m. Thompson and a co-worker were responding to a power outage in the neighborhood.

Utilities Director Jason Grey said Thompson was inside the elevated bucket truck when the accident occurred. Utility, fire and rescue crews responded.

"We are deeply saddened to lose a member of the Danville utilities family,” Grey said.

“This is a difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sam’s family, friends and coworkers.” City Manager Ken Larking added, "My heart goes out to Sam’s family and his friends. We have a close-knit group of co-workers in our utilities division who are grieving his loss. He was well regarded among his friends here and will be missed."

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DANVILLE, Virginia —

A City of Danville Power and Light employee died Thursday morning after he was electrocuted while working on a power line on Applewood Drive in Pittsylvania County.

The accident took place around 8 a.m. Samuel Thompson and a co-worker were responding to a power outage in the neighborhood. Thompson died after an accident with the power line.

Utilities Director Jason Grey said Thompson was inside the elevated bucket truck when the accident occurred. Utility, fire and rescue crews responded.

"We are deeply saddened to lose a member of the Danville utilities family,” Grey said. “This is a difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sam’s family, friends and coworkers.”

City Manager Ken Larking added, "My heart goes out to Sam’s family and his friends. We have a close-knit group of co-workers in our utilities division who are grieving his loss. He was well regarded among his friends here and will be missed."

Thompson, 63, worked as a lineman for the utilities department for more than 20 years. 



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DANVILLE, Va. (WSET) - Officials have identified the man who was killed in an electric accident Thursday morning.

They say 63-year-old Samuel Thompson died after being electrocuted.

They say he was working on a power line on Applewood Drive in Pittsylvania County.

They say Thompson and a co-worker responded to a power outage in the area at 8 a.m. and the accident happened shortly after.

Utilities Director Jason Grey said Thompson was inside the elevated bucket truck when the accident occurred.


"We are deeply saddened to lose a member of the Danville utilities family,” Grey said. “This is a difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sam’s family, friends and coworkers.”

Thompson had worked for the company for 20 years.

This is a developing story, stay with ABC 13 for updates.

Antonio Navarrete, a contractor working at the Big Bend Power Station, passed away after being hospitalized for several days. He was one of four people injured when molten slag was suddenly released from a tank that was being cleaned.

Antonio Navarrete, third worker to die

Antonio Navarrete, third worker to die

TAMPA (FOX 13) - A third worker has now died from his injuries after last week’s accident at a TECO power plant.

Antonio Navarrete, a contractor working at the Big Bend Power Station, passed away after being hospitalized for several days. He was one of four people injured when molten slag was suddenly released from a tank that was being cleaned.

“Our heartfelt prayers and sympathy are extended to his family and friends as we keep our primary focus on supporting our employees and their families during this difficult time,” wrote a spokesperson for his employer, BRACE Industrial Group.
=====================

TAMPA, FL — Both men killed Thursday at the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach were using pressure washers moments before lava-like slag gushed out of a tank and burned them, according to preliminary reports released Saturday by the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner.

The reports do not list an official cause of death for either man, but both were “covered in slag,” the reports said.

Molten slag can reach temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees. Officials for Tampa Electric said workers were trying to unplug the clogged tank when the accident occurred.

Both Michael McCort, 60, a senior plant manager, and Christopher Irvin, 40, a contract employee, died at the scene. Five others were transported to Tampa General Hospital.

Pressure washing is one of two common ways to clean out the inside of a slag tank, said Walter Godfrey, the president of Fire/Reconstruction Consultants Inc. in Cape Canaveral, which investigates fires and explosions.

“It’s like using a sandblasting unit, except you’re using water instead,” he said.

McCort’s family declined to speak with reporters. His daughter, Heather McCort, posted on Facebook Saturday morning that her father lost his life “helping others and being a hero.”

“The world lost such a wonderful man, husband, grandfather and friend,” she wrote.

Irvin’s family also declined to speak with a reporter Saturday, saying they were in mourning. Irvin was never married, but was a father to one child and was expecting another, the medical examiner wrote. He worked for Gaffin Industrial Services in Riverview, one of Tampa Electric’s contractors at the plant.


In 2007, a Gaffin employee was killed in White Springs while using a power washer to clean the inside of a hot-well tank, according to an investigation by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The worker accidentally clipped his leg with the stream of water, which was so powerful that it cut his femoral artery. Gaffin was fined $35,000.

Four workers injured at the Tampa Electric plant remained in the hospital Saturday with life-threatening burns: Antonio Navarrete, 21, and Armando J. Perez, 56, both of Wimauma; and two Tampa men related by marriage, Frank Lee Jones, 55, and his stepson, Gary Marine Jr., 32.

Marine and Jones worked for Gaffin, like Irvin, the Times reported Friday. Navarrete and Perez worked for BRACE Industrial Group, the Times reported, along with an unidentified fifth worker, who was treated at the hospital and released.

McCort was the only worker who was a Tampa Electric employee.

Family members for the surviving workers could not be reached or declined to comment Saturday.

Tampa Electric spokeswoman Cherie Jacobs said the company could not release new information about the accident Saturday. “This is a very complex investigation and we are unable to provide updates,” she said.

Two investigators from OSHA have started an investigation that could last six months. 




=================







Two people were killed and four others were critically injured Thursday afternoon in a reported explosion at a large coal power plant near Tampa, Fla., authorities said.

Emergency workers responded around 4:20 p.m. to the Big Bend Power Station in Apollo Beach and found six people with severe burns at Unit 2, one of its four coal-fired units. Two people were declared dead at the scene, and the four others were taken to Tampa General Hospital with life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

The workers, who included one plant employee and five contractors, suffered burns and other injuries, said Corey Dierdorff, a spokesman for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.

“They would be categorized as very severe,” Mr. Dierdorff said at a news conference.

A spokeswoman at Tampa General Hospital said about 7:30 p.m. that it would not immediately release the conditions of the four patients. Two people were taken there by air ambulance and the other two by ground.

Officials with the Big Bend plant, which is operated by Tampa Electric, said the episode occurred while workers were conducting “routine maintenance” on a slag tank at the bottom of Unit 2’s boiler. The tank collects coal slag, a glasslike waste product formed after the remains of burned coal are mixed with cold water. It is sold and reused as an abrasive in products like sandpaper.

The two workers who died at the plant were covered in slag, which can reach temperatures far above 1,000 degrees, authorities said.

“We are looking into what happened,” Cherie Jacobs, a Tampa Electric spokeswoman, said in an interview. “There are few details.”

Mr. ierdorff said about 7 p.m. that the situation was under control and that all other workers had been accounted for. Unit 2 was shut down after the explosion.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the federal agency that investigates workplace accidents, did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment on Thursday night.

The agency levied a $25,200 fine in 1999 against Tampa Electric, which is a division of TECO Energy, for serious safety violations at the Gannon Power Station, another plant in Hillsborough County that now operates under a new name. The safety violations led to an explosion that killed three people and injured dozens more. In 2000, the company paid a $7,000 fine by OSHA in connection to an electrocution and $3,375 for violations related to the housekeeping of coal at Big Bend Power Station.

The Big Bend Power Station sits on about 1,500 acres off a road by the same name on a swath of waterfront land in Hillsborough County, about 15 miles southeast of downtown Tampa. It is among the largest plants in Florida, producing more than 1,700 megawatts of electricity.

The first of its four coal-fired units began service in 1970, according to the company. The second unit, where the accident occurred, went online in 1973. A natural gas and “fuel oil-fired peaking unit” was added eight years ago. The plant also features a “Manatee Viewing Center” that The Tampa Bay Times said is a popular stop among tourists who can see the station’s towering stacks from almost anywhere in the city.

==============

APOLLO BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) – The names of the victims from Thursday’s industrial incident at Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Power Plant were released by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. All next of kin were notified.

• Christopher Irvin (Deceased) age 40, of Tampa
• Michael McCort  (Deceased) age 60, of Riverview
• Gary Marine Jr. (life-threatening injuries) age 32, of Tampa
• Antonio Navarrete (life-threatening injuries) age 21, of Wimauma
• Frank Lee Jones (life-threatening injuries) age 55, of Tampa
• Armando J Perez (life-threatening injuries) age 56, of Wimauma

“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families of everyone who was touched by this incident,” said Gordon Gillete, president and CEO of Tampa Electric. “Safety is the No. 1 priority at Tampa Electric, and we are working hard to determine exactly what happened and why. We will be conducting a complex investigation to determine the root cause.”

One of the men killed was a TECO employee. All of the other victims were contractors working at the plant.

Gillete said there were courageous efforts in the plant to save the employees and contractors. The injured remain at Tampa General Hospital.

TECO and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are working together to investigate what happened at the Big Bend Power Plant in Apollo Beach at about 4 p.m. Thursday. OSHA responds when there are work-related deaths or hospitalizations.

It was initially reported as an explosion by authorities, but TECO said it was a release of the molten slag, a leftover by-product from coal boilers at the plant.
What happened:

• Coal-fired furnace burning above
• The left over by-product drips down into slag tank below, which contains water
• The burn-off crystallizes into slag – a crunchy glass-like material
• The material is still molten hot at that time
• That’s what spilled onto the employee and contractors

Workers were trying to unplug a hole in the slag tank at Big Bend Unit 2 when the material spilled out. There was vast quantity of slag on the floor – “6-inches deep and 40-feet in diameter,” Gillete said.

The OSHA inspectors were going over a long list of safety and health standards to see whether TECO may have violated standards that could have led to the incident.

“It’s the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe and healthful workplace,” said OSHA spokesman Michael D’Aquino.

Right now, OSHA still has an open investigation, looking into a chemical exposure incident that happened at the plant on May 24. That incident involved the release of Anhydrous ammonia that caused four employees to be hospitalized.

This latest investigation is expected to take several weeks.



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APOLLO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Workers at a Florida power plant were trying to unplug a blocked tank when molten material poured onto them, killing two and injuring four others, officials said Friday.


Tampa Electric President and CEO Gordon Gillette said at a news conference that the incident happened Thursday at a coal-fired boiler, while workers were performing routine maintenance on the slag tank at the plant southeast of Tampa. Slag is a byproduct created when coal is burned for electricity.


Gillette said workers were trying to clear a blockage when hot slag came rushing out onto them — some closer to the tank than others.


"Because of the significant radius, all of those on scene were affected in some way, unfortunately," he said.


Victims sustained burns as well as other injuries that "would be categorized as very severe," fire-rescue officials said.


The two killed Thursday at the Tampa Electric Co. plant were identified as 40-year-old Christopher Irvin and 60-year-old Michael McCort. Four others were seriously injured and were still being treated at a Tampa hospital.


"There were some extraordinarily courageous efforts on the parts of the TECO team members to save the employee and our contractors," Gillette said.


On Friday, two investigators from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the scene of the explosion.

A massive abandoned warehouse fire knocked out electricity to nearly 2,000 customers in South Houston overnight, damaged an adjoining car dealership

Thursday, July 06, 2017 12:08PM
SOUTH HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A large fire engulfed a warehouse and several vehicles in a neighboring car dealership overnight in South Houston.

Flames were seen shooting out of the vacant building located in the 100 block of Avenue D, near Spencer Highway and Highway 3. The fire was first reported before 11:30 p.m. Wednesday.

At one point, a small explosion was seen on a transformer near the building.

According to the South Houston Fire Department, crews had issues with water pressure when they arrived. They were eventually able to knock down the fire with help from the Houston Fire Department.

The South Houston Fire Marshal said he is not sure if it's "suspicious" but has heard the stories of homeless people and kids breaking in. He did confirm the factory was an old orange juice production plant that has been closed for at least 15-20 years.

Arson dogs are expected to be back out.

Flames were also seen on vehicles parked in an adjoining car dealership.

The owner of Pasadena Auto Planet was there during the fire. His entire office with three rooms is charred, 12 vehicles have been damaged or destroyed and the mechanic shop is a total loss with a brand new $10,000 air compressor. Of the cars in the back area, two are customer cars that had the least damage.

The three cars that had serious damage were just fixed a couple of days ago. The Audi had a new radiator, the Dodge Ram had a new engine and the Ford F 350 was on the lift for a new motor. All are gone.

His main concern was no one was hurt. He did comment on the kids that had been hanging out in the area and the homeless who were sleeping around the old factory.

The fire affected CenterPoint Energy customers in the immediate area around the warehouse. According to the utility's website, 377 homes and businesses were without power. Restoration was expected by 10 a.m.



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SOUTH HOUSTON, Texas – A massive warehouse fire knocked out electricity to nearly 2,000 customers in South Houston overnight.

The fire broke out at about 11:25 p.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Spencer Highway, right next to Pasadena Auto Planet.

The used car lot is run by Eric Mejia and his family. Heat from the fire severely damaged about a dozen vehicles on the lot as well as the sales office.


“So we’re going to move our inventory to a different lot so we’re going to keep operating,” said Mejia.

A two story building, once an orange juice factory, caught fire and send a huge plume of smoke and flames into the skies over South Houston. The fire is now under control, but as of 9:30 a.m. there were still extensive power outages in the area.

CenterPoint's outage tracker says the estimated repair time is now 11:21 a.m. Thursday.

CenterPoint crews had to wait for the fire to be under control to access the affected power lines and a transformer that blew.


Firefighters from the City of Houston responded to assist after water issues delayed initial firefighting efforts.

There were no injuries, but the building was destroyed.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but Fire Marshal Charles Stulder says, “It’s going to be a tough one to investigate.” Pasadena sent its arson dog which walked through the scene and failed to smell any accelerants.

So some samples of the debris will be sent off and tested for accelerants. Right now the cause is ruled “undetermined.”

TO STEAL AND ROB: Caught on the obese officer's body camera: former officer Linnard Crouch accused of stealing money from dying man in Texas City, TX

Thursday, July 06, 2017 11:54AM
TEXAS CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- A former Texas City police officer is accused of taking money from a dying man during a call for assistance.

That officer resigned from the force earlier this year and is now facing criminal charges. The victim's family is suing the city.

The allegations date back to December of last year. The family claims the officer in question responded to a call of a driver in trouble but during that call, the officer allegedly took more than $2,000 off the person who would later die and it was all apparently caught on the officer's body camera.

Texas City Police told Eyewitness News one of their own, former officer Linnard Crouch, is now facing criminal charges of theft and possession of a controlled substance.

According to the Texas City police chief in December of 2016, the department got a citizen's complaint accusing the former officer of theft.

An internal affairs investigation resulted in criminal charges that are now pending against Crouch.

The family of James Mabe said the former officer pocketed money given to the 74-year-old victim to buy Christmas gifts.

In her lawsuit against the officer and Texas City, the widow's complaint states: "After opening James' locked truck door, officer Crouch then reached into James' right front pocket and removed James' $2,400 in Christmas present money and other money. Crouch never reported the $2,400 and other money instead gave back less than $300."

The family claims the whole thing was captured on the former officer's body camera. They plan to have a news conference about this later today.

The criminal case against the former officer is now referred to the Galveston County grand jury.



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Former Texas City officer facing theft, drug charges
KHOU.com Staff , KHOU 11:13 AM. CDT July 06, 2017



TEXAS CITY, Texas – The Texas City Police Department says a tip led to the arrest of an officer who later resigned.

Texas City PD says a citizen's complaint accused Officer Linnard Crouch of theft. An internal affairs investigation led to charges of theft and possession of a controlled substance.

The charges are pending, and Crouch resigned on Jan. 30.

“These charges have been presented to the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office and will be presented to a Grand Jury upon completion of the investigation. Due to this being an ongoing investigation, details of the case cannot be released,” the department stated.

Check back for updates to this developing story.

A 3-alarm fire displaced six families after a blaze swept through the St. Andrews Apartments in Bear, Delaware

BEAR, Del. (WPVI) --

Firefighters were battling a house fire in Bear, Delaware.

It broke out before noon in the unit block of Paisley Street at the St. Andrews Town Homes.

Firefighters arrived to find flames coming from the back of the home.

Other townhouses were evacuated, and a second alarm was struck, followed by a third.

The fire had reportedly spread through attics to four homes.

At least one firefighter was reported to have suffered a minor injury.

There was no immediate word what sparked the blaze.



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A three-alarm fire displaced six families Thursday afternoon after a blaze swept through a block of Bear-area townhouses, according to officials.

Firefighters were dispatched about 11:55 a.m. to St. Andrews Apartments in the first block of Paisley Street near U.S. 40 for the report of an outside fire, said Christiana Fire Chief Rich Perillo.

But when companies arrived on scene, fire was visible from the outside of one home, as well as inside the first and second floors of the townhouses, Perillo said. Further investigation showed that the fire had spread up into the attic area, as well.

The fire continued to blaze early Thursday afternoon, affecting four townhomes in the process. However, the families in all six homes on the block were displaced, Perillo said. The Red Cross is helping to find them places to stay in the meantime

14 passengers aboard a private bus have suffered minor injuries after colliding with a car near the Holland Tunnel in New Jersey

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (WABC) -- 

 

A private bus collided with a car on the approach to the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City Thursday morning.

The vehicles crashed at Jersey Avenue and 12th Street, sending the bus into an electrical pole.

The bus had 42 passengers on board.

14 people were injured and taken to local hospitals. None of the injuries are serious.

The remaining passengers on the bus were transferred to other buses.

The driver of the private auto is facing summonses for being an unlicensed driver, careless driving and making an improper turn.

Holland Tunnel engineers have determined the traffic light structure hit by the bus in the crash is structurally sound and safe.

The accident caused major inbound delays at the Holland Tunnel.



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JERSEY CITY, N.J. — A large bus and car crashed near the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City Thursday, prompting a response from ambulance, fire and police officials.


A bus and car crashed into a pole near the Holland Tunnel on July 6, 2017. The bus was towed, and the car remains at the scene. (AIR11)

The bus and car appeared to slam into the same pole near Jersey Avenue and 12th Street, chopper footage showed.

The driver’s side of the bus struck the pole, while the car apparently veered the opposite direction during the crash, with its back end resting against the pole.

Multiple police and fire vehicles are on scene, and at least one ambulance responded.

It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries.



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JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) — Authorities say 14 passengers aboard a private bus have suffered minor injuries after colliding with a car near the Holland Tunnel in New Jersey.


The accident occurred around 11 a.m. Thursday in Jersey City on the approach to the tunnel that connects New Jersey with New York.


Authorities say the driver was not seriously hurt and was cited for not having a driver's license, making an improper turn and careless driving.


The accident is under investigation.

A pilot was killed after his 1978 Cessna 152 single-engine plane, owned by Air Christian Inc., crashed deep in the Everglades Wednesday night

Pilot found dead after plane crashes in the Everglades



By Elizabeth Koh

ekoh@miamiherald.com


A pilot was killed after his Cessna 152 single-engine plane crashed deep in the Everglades Wednesday night, authorities said.   
 
The tail number of the plane showed that the aircraft is registered to Air Christian Inc., which is linked to Dean International Flight School at Miami Executive Airport, records show.

A Miami-Dade Fire Rescue air unit first spotted the plane wreckage around 10:20 p.m. with a body alongside the debris, police spokesman Argemis Colome said. Fire Rescue then alerted Miami-Dade police, but because of the conditions authorities decided to wait till morning to go out to the scene, he said.

The crash is “so far into the Everglades that they might have to take airboats,” said Colome. The Federal Aviation Administration said the crash happened about seven miles west of Homestead. The pilot was the only person on the plane.

The plane that crashed had been housed at Miami Executive Airport, Colome added, though he said officers were still investigating when the plane had taken off. The pilot’s identity was not released.

FAA spokeswoman Kathleen Bergen said the agency is investigating the crash, and the National Transportation Safety Board is determining what caused the aircraft to go down.

 The plane's owner is listed as Air Christian, Inc out of Miami, Florida. 
Ian Robert Dean is one of the major owner's.  He has been associated with twenty-five companies, according to public records. The companies were formed over a twenty-one year period with the most recent being incorporated one year ago in September of 2015

N49453 Aircraft Registration

Aircraft Summary

Summary

1978 CESSNA 152
Fixed wing single engine
(2 seats / 1 engine)

Owner

AIR CHRISTIAN INC
MIAMI , FL, US
(Corporation)

Airworthiness Class

Standard/Utility

Serial Number

15281280

Engine

LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES (4 Cycle)
Horsepower: 115

Weight

Less than 12,500lbs

Speed

Not defined

Mode S Code

051421027 / A62217

Date:	05-JUL-2017
Time:	Night
Type:	Cessna 152
Owner/operator:	Air Christian Inc
Registration:	N49453
C/n / msn:	15281280
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Airplane damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	near Miami Homestead General Aviation Airport (X51), Homestead, FL -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:	Miami Exec (KTMB)
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The plane crashed under unknown circumstances. The pilot died in the crash.
The wreckage of the plane, subject of an ALNOT, was found on Thursday morning 6 July 2017.

Sources:

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article159867284.html#storylink=latest_side
http://cbs12.com/news/local/pilot-killed-in-plane-crash-in-the-everglades
http://www.asias.faa.gov/pls/apex/f?p=100:95:14367523714132::NO::P95_EVENT_LCL_DATE,P95_LOC_CITY_NAME,P95_REGIST_NBR:06-JUL-17,HOMESTEAD,N49453
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=49453
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/001102517.html
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Date:	05-JUL-2017
Time:
Type:	Cessna 152
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:
C/n / msn:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Airplane damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	near Homestead -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The plane crashed under unknown circumstances. The pilot died in the crash.
The wreckage of the plane was found on Thursday morning 6 July 2017.

Sources:

www.miamiherald.com

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article159867284.html#storylink=cpy