Worker killed in forklift rollover at John Wayne Airport is identified
Orange County coroner’s officials released the name this week of a Los Angeles man who died in a workplace accident at John Wayne Airport.
The man, identified as Jose Manuel Gomez, 30, suffered fatal injuries when a forklift he was operating rolled over on him at about 4:30 a.m. Monday at the airport, said Luke Brown, a spokesman for the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health, which investigates workplace accidents.
The agency did not indicate when its investigation into Gomez’s death will be complete.
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A person was killed in a forklift accident early Monday morning at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, an airport official confirmed.
An exterior view of John Wayne Airport’s Terminal C. (Credit: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
The incident, which was described as a construction accident, occurred about 4:30 a.m., Airport spokeswoman Ann McCarley said.
The unidentified person was pronounced dead at the scene.
McCarley said the incident involved a forklift, but did not provide any further details.
Airport operations were not impacted, McCarley said.
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SANTA ANA – A forklift operator was killed while working at John Wayne Airport early Monday, Oct. 16, officials said.
The 4:30 a.m. incident happened in front of the south end of Terminal B, where an improvement project is underway, said airport spokeswoman Ann McCarley.
Details about the incident were not released, but officials did say it happened on a sidewalk. The victim was a subcontractor.
An investigation will be handled by a state safety agency and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
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In loving memory Jose Gomez
The Gomez family is currently facing some difficult moments with the lost of our beloved Jose Gomez. On Monday, October 16, 2017, he faced an unfortunate accident at approximately 4:30 am, where he lost his life. Leaving behind his wife and his three daughters who need the support more than ever. Most of you who knew Jose knew him as an outgoing, caring, full of energy, and humble person. After the tragic incident, the family was told that all services were going to be covered, unfortunately, that is not the case. Now we are here reaching out to our family members, friends, people that got to know Jose and the family to help us with this tragic cause. Whatever you can help us contribute during these difficult times to cover any necessary funeral expenses it will be greatly appreciated. Please, my family is in need of all the support you can give, thank you all.
Below I am also sharing a link that talks briefly about the incident:
http://ktla.com/2017/10/16/1-killed-in-forklift-accident-at-john-wayne-airport/
LAPD officer arrested after fiery freeway crash kills family
A crash on a California freeway left three family members dead. An LAPD officer was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.
CBS Los Angeles
WHITTIER, Calif. -- An off-duty Los Angeles police officer was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after a fiery freeway crash that killed a family of three, police said.
The officer, Edgar Verduzco, was driving at a "high rate of speed" along Interstate 605 in Whittier Tuesday night when his vehicle slammed into the back of two cars, the California Highway Patrol said.
One of the cars burst into flames, killing a mother, father and their teenage son, Sgt. Saul Gomez said. Two people in the third car were injured.
The victims were identified as Mario, Maribel and Oscar Davila, CBS Los Angeles reports. A GoFundMe page has raised more than $4,300 for the family.
Mario, Maribel and Oscar Davila
CBS Los Angeles
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Verduzco was an Army veteran who joined the force about two years ago. The officer has been placed on leave as the LAPD conducts an internal investigation, Beck said.
"I cannot tell you how angry and disappointed I am that a Los Angeles police officer would disregard the law and cause an accident with such awful, awful consequences," Beck said Wednesday. "My heart goes out to the victims and their families."
The officer's union said in a statement that if Verduzco is convicted, he "should suffer the consequences of his reckless actions."
Verduzco was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs causing bodily injury and is being held on $100,000 bail. He was taken to a hospital with major injuries, including a broken nose.
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An off-duty LAPD officer was arrested following a suspected DUI crash that killed a teenage boy and his parents on the 605 Freeway late Tuesday night, authorities said Wednesday.
Three people were killed in a fiery crash on the 605 Freeway that was triggered by a suspected DUI driver, according to CHP. .(Credit: OnScene.TV)
Edgar Verduzco, 26, was driving a 2016 Chevy Camaro “at a high rate of speed” on the southbound 605 when he rear-ended two vehicles — a 2014 Nissan and a 2010 Scion — south of Saragosa Street at around 10:15 p.m., according to a California Highway Patrol news release.
The impact caused the Nissan to catch fire and become fully engulfed in flames, trapping all three occupants inside. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics arrived at the scene a short time later and pronounced all three dead, the release stated.
Their names have not been released by L.A. County coroner's officials, who told KTLA the bodies were very badly burned and it would take some time to identify them.
But family members confirmed they were parents Maribel and Mario Davila and their teenage son, Oscar. The Riverside family includes three other sons, all older than Oscar, who were not involved in the crash.
The Scion driver, identified only as a 31-year-old woman, suffered minor injuries in the collision. It was unclear whether she was taken to a hospital.
Verduzco, who sustained a broken nose in the collision, was arrested, the release stated. Alcohol is believed to have been a factor in the crash, according to CHP.
Shortly before the crash, video posted on his Instagram account had the hashtag #dontdrinkanddrive. It was apparently filmed at a bar, and beer glasses could be seen in the background.
Authorities were investigating a triple fatal crash on the 605 Freeway in Whittier on Sept. 26, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of felony DUI and vehicular manslaughter, Perez said. He is being held on $100,000 bail, inmate records showed.
Verduzco is an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department who was off-duty at the time, according to CHP.
“I cannot tell you how angry and disappointed I am that a Los Angeles police officer would disregard the law and cause an accident with such awful, awful consequences," LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said during an early-afternoon news conference, where he delivered brief remarks about the arrest.
Verduzco worked in the department for about two years, Beck said, describing his time at LAPD as "unremarkable." The officer came to the department from the U.S. Army, where he had served for about four years.
The chief added that he believed Verduzco had served in Afghanistan.
Earlier Beck released a statement regarding the crash, saying that the department sends its "deepest sympathies" to the family, and that an administrative investigation is underway.
"The Department has no tolerance for driving under the influence and holds its officers to the highest standards of professionalism both on and off-duty," he wrote in the statement. "It is particularly troubling when one of our own police officers violates drunk driving laws, which is why a drunk driving offense always results in a personnel complaint which can lead to dismissal."
The crash, which remains under investigation, prompted the hourslong closure of the 605 Freeway overnight. All lanes were reopened Wednesday morning.
NEWPORT, R.I. —
The owner of a tall ship that crashed into four other boats in Rhode Island after a seafood festival is blaming the incident on a dock line that became entangled on its two propellers.
The SSV Oliver Hazard Perry crashed Sunday in Newport Harbor. No one was injured.
On Monday, the 200-foot (61-meter), three-mast ship was still blocking a channel into the Newport Yacht Club, preventing a cruise ship from disembarking passengers.
The ship is operated by a nonprofit, Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island, which runs educational programs. The group said Monday the engine lost power after its propellers became entangled but did not run aground. The Coast Guard had said shortly after the crash that the ship had grounded.
Jessica Wurzbacher, the group's executive director, said the ship was leaving its berth at the seafood festival Sunday evening to cross the harbor to its permanent berth at Fort Adams State Park. The propellers then became entangled in one the ship's own dock lines off the edge a dock, she said.
The crew dropped two anchors and tied the ship with lines to rope it into place, and while they were doing that, it struck four boats, Wurzbacher said.
She said she did not believe the hull was damaged. They were working Monday to untangle the propellers and check them for damage so they can move the ship. It was not immediately determined when the ship will be moved. It would be a joint decision of the crew, tugboat operator and U.S. Coast Guard, Wurzbacher said.
Alex Keller, yacht manager and captain of the 60-foot (18-meter) small yacht Jessica, said his ship was pinned against a dock and "used as a fender" by the tall ship. The smaller vessel was finally freed Monday morning, and needs to be checked at a ship yard to see whether there is structural damage, he said.
He said he was surprised the captain of the tall ship was trying to operate it in winds that were blowing at 25 knots, and said he would not have done it himself, unless it was an emergency.
"I wouldn't have tried leaving, not with a ship like that, because of its size, the wind direction and speed," he said.
Wurzbacher said it is a 500-ton vessel that regularly operates in windy conditions, and the captain determined it was safe.
"I don't think the weather affected the incident," she said.
The ship is named for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a hero in the War of 1812, who is remembered for his command: "Don't Give Up the Ship."
It was built of steel at a cost of $16 million and in 2016 became the first ocean-going, full-rigged ship to be built in the United States in more than 100 years. Its main mast is 13 ½ stories high. It is the largest civilian sail training vessel, accommodating 49 people overnight, and serves as Rhode Island's official sailing education vessel.
"Cooking has been ruled
out as cause of fire. Ignitable liquids were ruled out. Fire
investigators have no evidence it was intentionally set. Fire
investigators found no any evidence of a drug lab, or drug
paraphernalia,"
It's a view that hard to get away from.
But the burnt scar on the Marco Polo building is a grim reminder of that fatal fire that burned for hours.
The images that day were powerful.
The largest and deadliest high rise fire in Our Honolulu's history-- 30 units destroyed, $107 million dollars in damage, and four people dead.
"It's somewhat unsatisfactory that we can't tell you the cause. We are going to tell you what we know," said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.
Honolulu's fire chief tried to explain why after three months of analysis it has turned up with no clear cause of the fire.
"Cooking has been ruled out as cause of fire. Ignitable liquids were ruled out. Fire investigators have no evidence it was intentionally set. Fire investigators found no any evidence of a drug lab, or drug paraphernalia," said Fire Chief Manuel Neves.
Neves also said the department could not rule out smoking as a cause.
Investigators shared details of their probe including a list of items of interest.
Island News first reported the possibility of a malfunctioning air conditioner.
Investigators also looked at a lap computer, a desk top computer and outlets where cell phones may have been charging.
They also noted a gas cylinder and butane cylinder used in making jewelry,
"We are seeing these electrical concerns, but we can’t pinpoint, or say this caused this fire," Battalion Chief Jeff Hooker, who was the captain in charge of the investigation.
And HFD also noted the electrical panel.
"We had some real unsymmetrical fire damage in the electrical panel. It just starts to send out red flags but because of the fragile nature of these items, we didn’t go any farther into this it just becomes a concern. It becomes one of the possible things we just pass it on to other investigators that come in behind us," said Hooker.
HFD's investigative report included statements from the three occupants of #2602 where the fire started.
Island News was the first to interview tenant Jeffrey Rockett who described seeing the floor burst into flames.
In their harrowing escape from the burning unit, HFD said the tenants could not say if the fire door shut behind them.
Other experts will continue looking at the evidence. HFD said it may reopen its investigation if new information is found.
Authorities are still trying to determine the cause of a fire at the Chevron refinery in El Segundo on Tuesday night.
The fire broke out around 10:30 p.m. at or near a malfunctioning pump, said Breck Slover, battalion chief with the El Segundo Fire Department. There was no explosion, but loud bangs from electrical transformers blowing up were heard at the plant. The cause of the pump malfunction is unknown, Slover said.
The fire sent flames nearly 40 feet skyward and burned for about an hour and 20 minutes.
The blaze could have have been much worse, Slover said. Emergency personnel shut down the fuel supply to the pump and hosed down some nearby petroleum tanks to prevent them from failing.
“If the tanks failed, it would have been a three- or four-day event,” Slover said.
No one was injured, Slover said. It’s not clear how much property damage the fire caused.
El Segundo officials asked residents to shelter in place and close their windows to minimize the effects of drifting smoke. However, wind conditions were relatively calm Tuesday night, Slover said.
Neighbors often complain that the refinery, the largest of its kind on the West Coast, emits offensive odors and has caused health problems, but the fire department hasn’t received any formal complaints from residents about Tuesday’s fire, Slover said.
Slover said it’s been at least five years since there was a significant fire at the refinery. The fire department is called to the plant several times a year, he said.
“Anytime something happens over there, it’s got the potential to be really bad,” Slover said.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District is also investigating any potential air quality violations, said spokesman Sam Atwood. A district inspector examined the plant Tuesday night after the fire, Atwood said.
The district has cited the plant for several air quality violations over the years, Atwood said. Most recently, it issued three notices of violation in June after tests showed that excessive organic compounds were leaking from various parts of the refinery, Atwood said. A follow-up inspection showed that the leaks had been fixed.
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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on a refinery fire near Los Angeles (all times local):
12:10 a.m.
Chevron says a fire at one of its California refineries did not burn near any of the facility’s main process units.
Spokesman Braden Reddall says the blaze late Tuesday at the Chevron El Segundo Refinery was confined to a distribution manifold along a perimeter of the facility just south of Los Angeles. He says the cause is under investigation.
No injuries are reported from the fire that burned for about a half-hour and sent smoke into surrounding neighborhoods. The refinery is the largest on the West Coast.
Reddall said Wednesday that the blaze is not expected to affect Chevron’s ability to supply customers.
Patrick DeHaan, senior analyst with GasBuddy, says initial information indicates the blaze will not affect gas prices.
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10:40 a.m.
A petroleum industry analyst says a fire that erupted at the West Coast’s largest oil refinery is unlikely to have an effect on gas prices.
No injuries were reported in the blaze Tuesday at the Chevron El Segundo Refinery south of Los Angeles. Crews kept the fire from spreading to storage tanks and had the flames out within about a half-hour.
Chevron has not said what caused the fire or detailed the extent of the damage.
Fires at such refineries have had implications for gas prices. But Patrick DeHaan, senior analyst with Gas Buddy, said Wednesday that initial information indicates that will not be the case with this blaze.
DeHaan says the refinery was not running at full capacity because the facility had recently shuttered most operations for regular semi-annual preventative maintenance.
