ANOTHER NEGLIGENT TRUCK DRIVER: A truck carrying about 7,500 pounds of live eels overturned on Hwy 101 in Oregon after the truck driver failed to stop and when he slammed on the breaks, the containers full of eels flew off the truck

Police said when slime eels, also known as hagfish, become stressed, they secrete a slime which covered the road and cars involved.

 
DEPOE BAY, Oregon (WFLA/NBC) – A truck carrying about 7,500 pounds of live eels overturned on an Oregon highway Thursday afternoon.

Police said the truck driver failed to stop and when he slammed on the breaks, the containers full of eels flew off the truck.

The containers caused a chain reaction crash involving multiple cars.

The highway was shut down for hours while crews worked to clear the creatures, known as Hagfish, and the gooey secretions they produce while stressed.

No one was injured in the crash.

The eels were supposed to be shipped to Korea for consumption.



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



DEPOE BAY, Ore. – A truck full of slime eels overturned on Highway 101 Thursday afternoon, covering cars and the roadway with the slippery, slimy creatures.

The crash shut down the highway at milepost 131, south of Depoe Bay, at around noon. The highway was reopened at 4 p.m.

The semi-truck was heading northbound when a flagger stopped traffic for construction work, but the driver was not able to stop the truck and it overturned, according to Oregon State Police.

The truck was carrying 7,500 pounds of slime eels and the transfer of weight caused one of the containers to come off the truck bed and fly across the highway, police said. The other containers then separated from the bed and spilled onto the highway. The flat bed completely separated from the frame of the truck.

The container that flew across the highway caused a chain reaction crash, pushing four southbound vehicles into each other. One person suffered minor injuries.



"It was a mess, approximately 150-200 yards of roadway blocked with fish and cars," said Senior Trooper Brian Tucker with Oregon State Police.

Police said when slime eels, also known as hagfish, become stressed, they secrete a slime which covered the road and cars involved.

"It was just a mess of fish coming down the highway, there were a lot of people...it was quite a chaotic event when we first arrived," said Lt. Eric Leonard with Depoe Bay Fire.

The live eels were going to be shipped to Korea for consumption.

A box truck was damaged and its driver injured after pieces of plywood flew off the trailer of a white SUV on I-65 South in Franklin, TN

A box truck was damaged and its driver injured after pieces of plywood flew off the trailer of a white SUV. (Photo: (Photo: Franklin Police))

FRANKLIN, TN
Loose materials flying off a trailer being towed down I-65 South near Murfreesboro Road injured one driver and caused damage to two vehicles Wednesday afternoon, Franklin police said.

Several pieces of plywood escaped the trailer pulled by a white SUV, and injured a man after shattering the windshield of his box truck around 2 p.m., according to officials.

The driver of the SUV did not stop, and police are looking for the driver. Officials said they recognize the driver may not have noticed what happened, as it occurred behind the vehicle.



Officials ask that anyone with information on this case call Crime Stoppers at 615-794-4000.

YOU LIE, YOU LOSE: Christopher M. Snyder, 28, of Mahoning Township was charged with insurance fraud when he falsely reported his $42,000 skid steer loader stolen from an Upper Macungie Township work site

Man accused of fraud in claim his $42,000 vehicle was stolen in Upper Macungie



A Carbon County man lied to collect insurance in February when he reported his $42,000 construction vehicle stolen from an Upper Macungie Township work site, investigators said. (FILE PHOTO / THE MORNING CALL)


A Carbon County man lied to collect insurance in February when he reported his $42,000 construction vehicle stolen from an Upper Macungie Township work site, investigators said.

Christopher M. Snyder, 28, of Mahoning Township was charged with insurance fraud Wednesday, five days after two Lehigh County detectives found the vehicle a mile from Snyder’s home, authorities said.

Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin commended the detectives, Salvatore Aprile and Joseph Conway, for the investigative work.

“Insurance fraud is a crime that impacts all individuals who insure their property, not just the companies who pay out for false claims,” Martin said. “These payments result in increased rates for law-abiding citizens.”

Snyder on Feb. 16 notified Upper Macungie police and Nationwide Insurance, his insurer, that his skid-steer loader, a construction vehicle with lift arms, had been stolen from 6520 Stonegate Drive, detectives said.

The vehicle was valued at about $42,000. Nationwide paid Snyder about $7,000, and the rest of the insurance payout went to Powerco Inc., which had a lien on the equipment, detectives said.

On Friday, the detectives met with Snyder at his home in the 2300 block of Blakeslee Boulevard West, near Lehighton.

“Snyder reiterated his claim that the skid steer had been stolen and its whereabouts unknown,” the district attorney’s office said. But after the meeting, the detectives said, they came across a disabled skid-steer loader not far away.

“As a result of their investigation, it is alleged that it [the loader they found] was the one reported stolen by the defendant,” according to the the district attorney’s office. “Further, it is alleged that Snyder attempted to prevent identification of the skid steer through misrepresentation and concealment.”

In addition to insurance fraud, Snyder is charged with theft, alteration or destruction of a vehicle identification number, making false reports to law enforcement officers and making a false report of a vehicle theft.

He was arraigned Wednesday morning by District Judge Donna Butler, who released him on $20,000 bail.



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



A Carbon County man is facing insurance fraud charges after allegedly submitting a false claim that his $42,125 skid steer loader was stolen and receiving the compensation.

Christopher M. Snyder, 28, of Mahoning Township outside Lehighton, reported to police in February that his Case Skid Steer was stolen from a work site at 6520 Stonegate Drive in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin announced.

Snyder allegedly also reported the theft to his insurance carrier, Nationwide Insurance, and filed a claim seeking compensation for the loss.

The value of the skid steer was determined to be $42,125. Nationwide paid the claim, distributing about $7,000 directly to Snyder and the remaining amount to Powerco Inc., which held a lien on the equipment, according to the district attorney's office.

Martin said that Detective Salvatore Aprile of the Lehigh County Auto Theft Task Force spoke with Snyder about the vehicle earlier this month, at which time he reiterated his claim that it had been stolen and its whereabouts were unknown.

After speaking with Snyder, Aprile and Detective Joseph Conway, also of the Auto Theft Task Force, saw a disabled skid steer about a mile from Snyder's home.

The detectives investigated the disabled vehicle and found it was the one reported stolen by Snyder, according to Martin's office. Further, Snyder allegedly attempted to prevent identification of the skid steer.

"Insurance fraud is a crime that impacts all individuals who insure their property, not just the companies who pay out for false claims," Martin said in a statement. "These payments result in increased rates for law-abiding citizens."

Snyder is facing multiple charges including insurance fraud and theft by deception.

Charles Bagley of Dequincy, La., a contract employee from Newtron's Beaumont Facility, was killed after a crane fell on him while working in the Motiva Port Arthur refinery's right-of-way.

Motiva officials are investigating the death of a 59-year-old Louisiana man at the Port Arthur refinery's right-of-way Thursday night.

Justice of the Peace Tom Gillam III identified the man as Charles Bagley of Dequincy, La.

Gillam said the he expects Bagley's autopsy to be completed Saturday morning.

"Safety is Motiva's first priority and we are deeply saddened by this event," the statement said.


General Manager Greg Lucchesi said the "Motiva family is devastated by the news."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased contract employee, their family and coworkers," he said. "We are focused on supporting the family and conducting a thorough investigation into the cause to ensure this never happens again."

"We're deeply saddened by the incident, and it is currently under investigation.," said Mike Defee, manager at Newtron Beaumont, in a statement.

The Port Arthur Fire Department responded to the incident at Terminal Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at about 4:15 p.m., according to city spokesperson Risa Carpenter.

Carpenter said Bagley was stuck by an unknown piece of equipment and was transported to Southeast Texas Medical Center where he died later in the evening.

According to the most recent information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas has the most workplace fatalities in the nation.

In 2015, Texas had 527 fatalities out of a total of 4,836 nationwide, followed by California with 388.

Eleven fatalities were in the Beaumont-Port Arthur metro area.

The last fatality at a Motiva facility took place in 2010 when a crane fell on a contract employee with Beacon Construction Co. at the Motiva Port Arthur refinery
========================

Motiva contract worker dies after accident near Texas refinery


HOUSTON (Reuters) - A contract worker died on Thursday from injuries received in an accident while working for Motiva Enterprises in an area between its Port Arthur, Texas, refinery and terminal, the company said.

"The Motiva family is devastated by this news," said Greg Lucchesi, general manager of the Port Arthur refinery.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased contract employee, his family and coworkers. We are focused on supporting the family and conducting a thorough investigation into the cause to ensure this never happens again."

Motiva also said the worker was an employee of Newtron Beaumont, which is an electrical and instrumentation contractor in Beaumont, Texas.

A source familiar with refinery operations said the worker was working near a crane when it apparently fell over on him.



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



Motiva Port Arthur announced in a statement Thursday night that a contract employee from Newtron's Beaumont Facility was killed while working in the refinery's right-of-way.

"Safety is Motiva's first priority and we are deeply saddened by this event," the statement said.

General Manager Greg Lucchesi said the "Motiva family is devastated by the news."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased contract employee, their family and coworkers," he said. "We are focused on supporting the family and conducting a thorough investigation into the cause to ensure this never happens again."


"We're deeply saddened by the incident, and it is currently under investigation.," said Mike Defee, manager at Newtron Beaumont, in a statement.

The Port Arthur Fire Department responded to the incident at Terminal Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at about 4:15 p.m., according to city spokesperson Risa Carpenter.

Carpenter said the man, whose name has not yet been released, was stuck by an unknown piece of equipment and was transported to Southeast Texas Medical Center where he died later in the evening.

Texas has the most workplace fatalities of any state.  Messy-messy state, little oversight, cheap Mexican laborers have few safeguards.

In 2015, it had 527 workplace fatalities, followed by California with 388, according to the most recent information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Eleven fatalities were in the Beaumont-Port Arthur metro area.

The last fatality at a Motiva facility took place in 2010 when a crane fell on a contract employee with Beacon Construction Co. at the Motiva Port Arthur refinery.

This post will be updated as more information becomes available.




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






PORT ARTHUR - Port Arthur police department responded to an accident at MLK and Terminal road near the Motiva plant at approximately 5:00p.m. Thursday.

A crane had fallen on an individual, according to a Port Arthur Police spokesperson.

The contract employee from Newtron's Beaumont Facility was doing maintenance work on the right-of-way between the Port Arthur refinery and Port Arthur Terminal according to Motiva. Motiva emphasized that safety is their first priority and that they are deeply saddened by the event.

Acadian Ambulance responded to the scene and transported the man to the Medical Center of Southeast Texas, where he was pronounced dead.

The name of man is not being released until next of kin has been notified.

OSHA and Motiva are investigating the accident.

Motiva issued the following statement: The Motiva family is devastated by this news,” said Greg Lucchesi, General Manager of the Port Arthur Refinery. Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased contract employee, their family and coworkers. We are focused on supporting the family and conducting a thorough investigation into the cause to ensure this never happens again

Honda Motor Co said on Friday it would recall about 2.1 million Honda Accord vehicles worldwide to replace battery sensors due to the risk of fire.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co said on Friday it would recall about 2.1 million vehicles worldwide to replace battery sensors due to the risk of fire.

Chris Martin, a spokesman for the Japanese automaker said the recall would include 1.15 million Honda Accord vehicles from the 2013-2016 model years in the United States, and nearly 1 million elsewhere, to replace a 12-volt battery sensor.

The company said it had received four reports of engine compartment fires in the United States and at least one in Canada, in areas that use significant amounts of road salt during the winter. There have been no reported injuries.

The automaker has received 3,972 U.S. warranty claims relating to the issue.

The battery sensors may not be sufficiently sealed against moisture intrusion, Honda said. Over time, moisture may introduce road salt or other material into the battery sensor, leading to rust and eventual electrical shorting of the sensor.

Due to the large size of the recall, Honda said dealers would initially adopt a temporary fix by applying an adhesive to prevent moisture intrusion, and then later replace the sensor.

The company first received a claim of an engine compartment fire from Canada in 2015 and began investigating the issue. In early 2016, it received a claim of a similar fire in China.

Honda introduced a redesigned battery sensor in June 2016. After an investigation of the China incident, the automaker said it initially believed the "future occurrence rate was estimated to be low," but continued to probe the matter after receiving additional reports of fires.

COULD NOT FOOL DEATH: John Bernecker, 33, a stuntman for "The Walking Dead" TV show died from blunt force trauma after falling more than 20 feet onto a concrete floor on the Georgia set

ATLANTA, Georgia -- A stuntman for "The Walking Dead" has died after falling on the Georgia set of the hit television show. It's the first on-set death in the U.S. in nearly three years.

John Bernecker, 33, died about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at an Atlanta hospital after falling on the show's set in Senoia, about 35 miles south of Atlanta, Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk said Friday.

Bernecker died from blunt force trauma and his death is considered accidental, Hawk said.

"The Walking Dead," the often-gory AMC show based on a comic series about people fighting to survive a zombie apocalypse, is filming its eighth season.

Phone and email messages left for AMC representatives were not immediately returned Friday.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation, agency spokesman Michael D'Aquino said in an email Friday.

Bernecker's passing is the first on-set death in the United States since an audio technician for the show "Cops" was killed during a shootout in Omaha, Nebraska, in August 2014. Cameraman Bryce Dion, 38, was killed at the scene of an attempted armed robbery at a fast-food restaurant by a stray bullet from an Omaha police officer.

Earlier that year, in February 2014, Sarah Jones, 27, died when a freight train slammed into a film crew shooting "Midnight Rider," a movie about the life of singer Gregg Allman. The crash happened on a Georgia railroad bridge where the crew was filming actor William Hurt in a hospital bed that was placed on the tracks even though owner CSX Transportation had denied permission to production managers.

A lawsuit filed by Jones' parents, who live in Columbia, South Carolina, is currently being tried in Chatham County State Court in Savannah. It says CSX shares equal blame with production managers, who never told Jones and other crew members they were trespassing. They say the railroad should have taken safety precautions to slow the train before the crash.

CSX attorneys have said any evidence that CSX failed to follow internal policies doesn't prove the railroad was negligent. They insist the full blame lies with the "Midnight Rider" production managers. The director, Randall Miller, spent a year in jail after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing, and the film was never finished.

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



John Bernecker, a stuntman who was injured earlier this week on the Atlanta set of the TV horror series The Walking Dead, has died from his injuries. The cause of death was blunt force drama, according to Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk.

Bernecker died at Atlanta Medical Center on Wednesday evening after falling more than 20 feet from a balcony onto a concrete floor. He was helicoptered to the hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator. AMC, the US network behind The Walking Dead, shut down production of the show's eight season immediately.


On Thursday the company told American news organisation USA Today: "We are saddened to report that John Bernecker, a talented stuntman for The Walking Dead and numerous other television shows and films, suffered serious injuries from a tragic accident on set. He was immediately transported to an Atlanta hospital and we have temporarily shut down production."

After the accident Bernecker's partner, Jennifer Cocker, wrote on Facebook: "John deserves to be seen by every neurosurgeon and doctor there is until one of them sees the life we all know he has in him and bring him back to us... THIS ISNT FAIR".

Bernecker is an experienced stunt veteran who has worked on The Hunger Games films, Logan, and Marvel's Black Panther.

The Screen Actor's Guild has said they plan to investigate the cause of the accident.



The Walking Dead is due to return to screens in October and stars British actor Andrew Lincoln, alongside Norman Reedus and Chandler Riggs. 



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


The stuntman is said to have sustained a serious head injury from the fall, and is being treated at the intensive care unit at Atlanta Medical Center, where he was medevaced to following the incident.

Stuntman John Bernecker has been hospitalized after falling more than 20 feet onto a concrete floor while working on the set of The Walking Dead in Georgia on Wednesday.

The stuntman is said to have sustained a serious head injury from the fall, and is being treated at the intensive care unit at Atlanta Medical Center, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Bernecker's girlfriend Jennifer Cocker (she will be missing his cock) wrote on Facebook on Wednesday: 'John deserves to be seen by every neorusurgeon and doctor there is until one of them sees the life we all know he has in him and bring him back to us... THIS ISNT FAIR.'




Heartbreaking: Stuntman John Bernecker has been hospitalized after falling more than 20 feet onto a concrete floor while working on the set of The Walking Dead in Georgia on Wednesday

The stuntman was medevaced to the medical facility following the fall, adds the website.

Production of the show has been temporarily suspended, an AMC spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter.

'We are saddened to report that John Bernecker, a talented stuntman for The Walking Dead and numerous other television shows and films, suffered serious injuries from a tragic accident on set. He was immediately transported to an Atlanta hospital and we have temporarily shut down production. We are keeping John and his family in our thoughts and prayers.'

Audio obtained by TMZ of the 911 call placed by an assistant director following the incident reveals Bernecker had 'labored' breathing and was bleeding from his nose.



Tragic: Audio obtained by TMZ of the 911 call placed by an assistant director following the incident reveals Bernecker had 'labored' breathing and was bleeding from his nose

'We have a medic here and she's asking for a flight en route now,' the caller says.

The caller also explains: 'He fell off of a balcony. I believe he fell on his back or head. I didn't see the impact. It's about 22 feet off the ground.'

'His neck is in the position where he landed though,' the caller at one point adds.

TMZ reports the stuntman was airlifted to the hospital.

A SAG-AFTRA spokesperson told the website they are currently investigating the incident.

'Sees the life we all know he has in him': Bernecker's girlfriend Jennifer Cocker wrote on Facebook on Wednesday



Previous work: Bernecker's previous stunt credits include a role in Game Night, Black Panther, 24: Legacy, and K.C. Undercover

'We have been informed of a serious injury to a SAG-AFTRA member on the set of The Walking Dead and are investigating the situation,' the spokesperson said in the statement. 'As always, the safety and security of our members and others on set is of crucial concern to us and we are focused on this in our investigation. Our thoughts and prayers are with the performer and his family.'

High falls are listed on Bernecker's resume as one of his specialties, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Bernecker's previous stunt credits include a role in Game Night, Black Panther, 24: Legacy, Claws, and K.C. Undercover.

He's also done stunt work for Logan, The Fate Of The Furious, and Fantastic Four.

Bernecker also has some acting credits to his name.

The stuntman has appeared in programs including Freerunner, and True Detective, according to his IMDB page.


Investigating: A SAG-AFTRA spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter they are currently investigating the incident which occurred on the set of The Walking Dead

A gas tank explosion inside a building injured a worker and caused a massive fire at Red Lion Salvage in Windsor Township, PA

A gas tank explosion inside a building injured a worker and caused a massive fire at Red Lion Salvage on Thursday afternoon, police said.

Emergency responders were called to the salvage yard in the 300 block of Craley Road in Windsor Township just after 1:45 p.m.

A worker was using a grinder inside a building at the salvage yard to remove a gas tank from a vehicle when the gas tank exploded, according to Detective Don Hopple Jr. of York Area Regional Police.

The explosion caused the building to catch fire, and that fire spread to a tower of cars nearby, Hopple said.

The worker was taken to York Hospital with burns, the detective said. His condition was not immediately available.



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




YORK, Pa. (AP) — Police say one employee has been injured after a gas tank explosion caused a massive fire at a Pennsylvania salvage yard.


York Area Regional Police Detective Don Hopple Jr. says an employee was using a grinder to remove the tank when it exploded at Red Lion Salvage on Thursday afternoon.


The employee has been transported to a hospital with burn-related injuries. His condition was not immediately released.


The explosion led to the building at the salvage yard and nearby vehicles catching fire. Smoke could be seen from miles away.


Hopple tells the York Dispatch the fire destroyed the building.


Firefighters were able to put out the blaze after battling it for about four hours.

Propane leak from a quarter inch hole in the connection between a gas dryer in the basement and a propane tank caused the Vernon home explosion that injured 6

VERNON, Conn.
 
State police have concluded that the explosion that destroyed a Vernon home in August and sent six people to the hospital was caused by a propane leak from a quarter inch hole in the connection between a gas dryer in the basement and a propane tank.

But the family that survived the explosion isn't buying the conclusion and have hired attorneys to pursue alternative theories for the explosion. Farmington attorney John Laudati issued a statement Thursday indicating they have consulted with independent experts and shared their personal experiences and knowledge regarding the events leading up to the explosion.



"At this time, we respectfully disagree with the conclusion of the Connecticut State Police and have directed our attorneys to fully investigate the cause of the explosion and specifically, to explore alternative theories which we feel are more consistent with the facts and information that have been presented," the statement said.

State police were unable to determine what ignited the gas because of the catastrophic damage to the home and multiple potential ignition sources. Police could not eliminate electrical activity or a gas heater as possible ignition sources.

There were seven people, including four children, inside 4 East St. when the explosion occurred. Many of them were buried under the rubble and had to be rescued by Vernon firefighters. Several of them suffered multiple injuries ranging from a lacerated spleen to a broken leg.

Steven Kersetter, the owner of 4 East Street, who was in his bedroom on the second floor when the explosion occurred, offered investigators from the State Police Fire & Explosions Unit his own theory on what happened.

Kersetter said in a written statement that the children were cooking chicken nuggets and french fries on the gas range and left the pan with food on it on top of it. Kersetter said he thinks the family dog "probably jumped up on the stove to get the chicken nuggets and turned the propane range on."




Kersetter said the explosion, which sounded like a loud "rumble," rousted him from his bed.

"I saw the rear wall of the bedroom had blown out. As I went through the wall and into the backyard I saw that my house was in pieces," Kersetter said. "I could hear my families voices coming from underneath the debris."

Kersetter frantically tried digging through the debris looking for his family. Two children extricated themselves and ran to a neighbor's yard. Firefighters from several towns arrived and quickly located and removed everyone from the debris.

Kersetter filed an insurance claim for the damage the night of the explosion. The state police report states that All-State Insurance inspectors arrived the day after the explosion and provided previously taken photographs of the three propane tanks stored in the backyard that provided liquid gas to the home.

The explosion was so powerful that debris were blown more than 100 yards in several directions into neighbors yards.

The explosion blew out the 1,920 square-foot home's walls and caused the second and first floors to collapse. The house's front door was blown 50 feet across East Street into a neighbor's yard.

A neighbor responding to the explosion told state police he saw three propane tanks on the ground in the backyard and turned them all off. He said all of them were on and when he turned one of them off he got a brief whiff of gas.

The three tanks were all hooked into different appliances. In addition to the dryer, tanks also were connected to a gas range in the kitchen and the heater in a first floor room.

In an interview from her hospital bed, Nicole Kersetter told investigators that she had only gotten home a few minutes earlier and didn't notice any smell of gas. She told investigators she wasn't sure of she used the dryer that day.

Nicole Kersetter added she had noticed "that recently the clothing dryer didn't seem to be working properly and that she would sometimes have to run the dryer for another cycle because it didn't dry clothes like it had before."

The explosion destroyed most of the family's possessions. In the statement, the family thanked all the individuals and agencies that assisted with everything from providing housing to clothes for the children to wear.

"As we have not had a formal opportunity to thank all those who provided help and assistance to our family during that time, we wanted to send a very heartfelt thank you and extend our deepest gratitude to everyone for the support, love and most generous contributions and donations," the statement read. "Our family is eternally grateful and will remember always how the community came together to take care of us. Thank you."



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



VERNON, Conn. (CBSNewYork) — Seven people were rushed to the hospital Thursday after a house explosion in northern Connecticut.

The incident happened around 4:15 p.m. in a home on East Street in Vernon, just east of Hartford, CBS affiliate WFSB-TV reported.

The home was completely destroyed.


Four people had to be rescued from the home, while two made it out on their own, WFSB reported.



Four children were taken to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford on Thursday, all of them under the age of 16, WFSB reported.

A 7-year-old boy was reported, in serious condition with significant injuries, and a 15-year-old girl was also hospitalized, WFSB reported.

Two other girls, ages 11 and 12, were also hospitalized after being found outside the home when first responders arrived, WFSB reported.

A 23-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were taken to Hartford Hospital in Hartford and were listed in critical condition, WFSB reported. A 60-year-old man was also found outside the home, but declined medical treatment, WFSB reported.

The cause of the blast remained under investigation late Thursday.

2 people were found dead in the rubble of a house gas explosion in Blount County, TN

Investigators work to determine cause of deadly Blount County home explosion
2 found dead after house explosion in Blount County, TN

MARYVILLE, TN


  WATE 6 On Your Side Staff 

Updated: July 14, 2017

9:17 a.m.

The Blount County Sheriff’s Office said investigators, along with the Blount County Fire Department and a special agent with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are continuing to sift through the rubble of a home in order to determine the cause and origin of the explosion. An agent with the ATF also responded Thursday evening.

The sheriff’s office said autopsies of the two bodies will be performed on Saturday. The remains of two adults were found on the property.

___

MARYVILLE (WATE) – Blount County officials say two people were found dead in the rubble of a house explosion in Blount County.

The Blount County Sheriff’s Office says the remains of two adults were found on the property after the explosion, but they don’t believe anyone else was in the house.

The explosion was reported around 5:40 p.m. in the 2800 block of Old Whites Mill Road.

The Blount County Sheriff’s Office says there is no need for nearby residents to evacuate. Old Whites Mill will be closed between Pleasant Hill Road and Pineview Road during the investigation. Residents should still be able to get to their homes.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Blount County Sheriff’s Office and Blount County Fire Department are working to find out the cause of the explosion.



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



BLOUNT COUNTY, TENN. - Update 8:00 p.m.: Two people were killed in a house explosion in Blount County, according to the Blount County Sheriff's Department. Officials are still investigating the cause of the explosion.

Previous story: Emergency crews are on the scene of a possible house explosion in Blount County.

Information is limited at this time, but officials responded to an address on Old White's Mill Road around 6 p.m. on Thursday. It's located in a rural area east of Maryville.

It's very early in the investigation, but a sheriff's office spokesperson says it's possible it was a gas explosion. There's no word yet on any injuries.This is a developing story. We will update with more information when it is available



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

Old Whites Mill Road home explosion kills two in Tennessee

BY MIKE GIBSON mike.gibson@thedailytimes.com
MARYVILLE, TN

Local emergency personnel are continuing to clean up the scene and working to determine the cause of an explosion that leveled a home and claimed the lives of two people on Old Whites Mill Road Thursday afternoon.


According to Blount County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Marian O’Briant, reports of the explosion that rocked the 2800 block of Old Whites Mill Road poured in to the county’s 911 call center beginning around 5:40 p.m. Thursday.


Officers from BCSO and firefighters from Blount County Fire Department arrived on the scene minutes later, only to find the home at that address flattened and burning, most of its contents scattered across the surrounding hills and fields.


On a day when outdoor temperatures were already inching into the 90s, with over 60 percent humidity, Blount County firefighters toiled over hot spots well into the evening, Blount County Deputy Chief Jerry Phillips said.


Nonetheless, it only took about 20 minutes to knock down and control the worst of the fire. Phillips explained that the force of the explosion cast much of the home’s burnable materials far from the center of the blaze, limiting its size.


With the blazed contained, officials began the unpleasant work of searching for casualties. Phillips said two people, both deceased, were found in the rubble, one man and one woman. O’Briant said authorities have not determined the victims’ names, nor whether they were residents of the home; Knox County Forensics Center are to perform autopsies Saturday. There were no other apparent casualties.


In all, around 20 men and six units from BCFD answered the call Thursday, along with an untold number of BCSO deputies and a few representatives from Blount County’s Red Cross. Describing the chaos of the scene, Phillips said the initial responders were greeted by a “debris field the size of a football field.


“There were objects from the house blown everywhere, all over the vicinity and up in all the trees. There were two-by-fours hung up in trees. There were bed springs up in trees. There were window frames blown out 200 feet from the home.”


Phillips said the roughly 1,000-square-foot home appeared to have collapsed inward after the explosion, with the remaining fire nested in the foundation when BCFD arrived.


The specific street address where the explosion occurred was unavailable Thursday, but it happened on the 2800 block of Old Whites Mill Road, in a rural, sparsely populated area about 100 yards from the 2900 block and the intersection of a small gravel side road, Estonia Way.


O’Briant said work will continue at the scene today and Tennessee Bomb and Arson is assisting in the investigation.


O’Briant warned through travelers that Old Whites Mill Road would be closed indefinitely between Pineview Road and Pleasant Hill Road, although local residents will still have access to their homes.

Richard Lopez of Walnut faces six misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter for the deaths of two women and four children who died last summer when the truck crashed into their disabled van on Interstate 5,

A commercial truck driver who allegedly slammed into a disabled van on the 5 Freeway, causing a fiery crash that killed two mothers and four of their children in Gorman more than a year ago, has been charged, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday.


A burned-out minivan is seen near the southbound side of the 5 Freeway in Gorman on June 28, 2016. (Credit: KTLA)

Richard Lopez, 60, pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter and another misdemeanor count of failing to comply with California Highway Patrol rules about service hours for drivers, according to a DA’s news release.

The crash, which happened on June 28, 2016, killed 33-year-old Connie Wu Li, 33-Flora Kuang, 5-year-old Jayden Li, 3-year-old Lucas Li, 4-year-old Sky Ng and 2-year-old Venus Ng, the release stated.

The victims, from the Bay Area, were in a van that had broken down on the 5 Freeway and partially blocked the right lane near Gorman School Road in the early morning hours.


A heavy-duty tow truck retrieves a van in which six people died after it was struck by a big rig and burst into flames on the 5 Freeway near Gorman on June 28, 2016. (Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Lopez was driving a tractor trailer when it crashed into the van, prosecutors said. The victims’ vehicle caught fire and went down and embankment, killing six of the occupants.

Two fathers were also in the car, but managed to escape. They had tried to rescue their families, but CHP officers held them back from the fiery wreck, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Lopez — who had allegedly been driving at that point for more than 15 hours — had not rested the legally mandated 10 hours, according to the criminal complaint.

He faces a maximum sentence of six years in jail if convicted on the charges, the DA’s office said.

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July 13, 2017: Truck Driver Charged for Crash on I-5 in Gorman Killing Six

Contact:


Ricardo Santiago, Public Information Officer
(213) 257-2000
RSantiago@da.lacounty.gov


A commercial truck driver has been charged with the deaths of two women and four children who died last summer when the truck crashed into their disabled van on Interstate 5, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced.

Richard Lopez (dob 2/21/47) of Walnut faces six misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter and one misdemeanor count of failing to comply with California Highway Patrol rules regarding hours of service for drivers.

Lopez pleaded not guilty to the charges today and is scheduled to return for a pretrial hearing on Aug. 4 in Department S of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, San Fernando Branch. Case 7SC00100 was filed for warrant on June 27.

Connie Wu Li, 33, Flora Kuang, 33, Jayden Li, 5, Lucas Li, 3, Sky Ng, 4, and Venus Ng, 2, were in a van from Daly City that broke down and was partially blocking the right lane near Gorman School Road on June 28, 2016, prosecutors said.

When the tractor trailer Lopez was driving crashed into the van, it erupted in flames and went down an embankment, prosecutors added. According to the criminal complaint, the driver had not rested the legally mandated 10 hours after allegedly driving for more than 15 hours.

If convicted as charged, Lopez faces a possible maximum sentence of six years in jail.

The case remains under investigation by the California Highway Patrol.