A Norfolk Southern freight train derailed near Inskip Drive in Knoxville, TN on Saturday night spilling shipping containers and damaging buildings.

Norfolk Southern: Train derailment scene cleared, new track expected to be completed

WATE 6 On Your Side staff Published: October 21, 2017, 10:49 pm Updated: October 22, 2017, 6:18 pm


KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) – After a train derailed in North Knoxville over the weekend, crews are laying down a new railroad track.

A Norfolk Southern train derailed near Inskip Drive on Saturday night around 10 p.m., spilling shipping containers and damaging buildings.

The train was not carrying hazardous materials and no one was injured.

Norfolk Southern Director of Public Relations Susan Terpay says a total of 19 cars left the track. Eighteen of those cars were carrying shipping containers. The 19th car carried automobiles. The train was made up of three locomotives and 68 rail cars.

Some rail cars struck nearby buildings, at least two of which were damaged. Gerdau Construction Products, a steel manufacturer, was struck by the derailed cars and appears to have sustained significant damage.

Knoxville police say there were many rail cars hanging precariously off the track.

Norfolk Southern along with Knoxville police and fire crews monitored the derailment and checked for any potential hazards overnight. No evacuations were needed.

Knoxville police say any unauthorized people who get on the tracks will be taken to jail.

Nearby residents recall hearing a loud screeching sound before the derailment happened.

Inskip Drive will be closed to all traffic between Coster Road and Fennel Road.

Inskip Drive could be closed for up to a week. Drivers should seek alternate routes through the area and expect heavy delays.

Police say Norfolk Southern will head up the investigation into why the train derailed. Stay with WATE 6 On Your Side for continuing coverage of the derailment.



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UPDATE: Norfolk Southern has completed removing the rail cars and containers from the tracks, and has finished laying the new track, according to spokeswoman Susan Terpay. Rail service is expected to resume early Monday with trains operating at reduced speeds, she said.

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A Norfolk Southern Railway train derailed in the Inskip neighborhood of Knoxville about 10 p.m. Saturday, damaging two industrial buildings housing local businesses.

The derailment took place near the intersection of East Inskip Drive and Fennel Road. A total of 19 shipping containers were derailed, according to Norfolk Southern Director of Public Relations Susan Terpay.

The crash sent train cars colliding into two buildings owned by Morton Properties, which has five buildings total in the area and rents the space out to small businesses, according to Sharon Morton, who owns the company with her husband, Robert.

A total of 18 businesses are housed in the properties and Morton estimated that about five were damaged, including a boat repair business.

No one was in the buildings at the time and no injuries were reported, according to Lt. Chris Baldwin of the Knoxville Police Department.

"There is a boat repair business, heating and air, all kinds of small businesses," Morton said. "It's unfortunate because it's their livelihood."





Several cars derailed from a train in North Knoxville, according to police.

No details on the cause of the crash were available Saturday night. The investigation will be handled by Norfolk Southern, Baldwin said. He did not have information on the contents of the shipping cars and only said that they did not contain hazardous material.

Nonetheless, KPD warned people to avoid the area while officers assessed the scene for "potential hazards." They are also warning people about traffic delays in the coming days.

Cedar Lane was reopened Sunday morning but Inskip Drive "probably will be closed several days" for cleanup and repair of the tracks, Baldwin said.


KUB workers arrive at the scene of a 50-car train derailment in North Knoxville, Tennessee on Sunday, October 22, 2017; Knoxville, TN; Mandatory Credit: Calvin Mattheis/Knoxville News Sentinel via USA TODAY NETWORK (Photo: Calvin Mattheis, Knoxville News Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK)

Terpay said Sunday that crews from Norfolk Southern worked through the night.

As of Sunday afternoon, all of the damaged cars and containers had been removed, and crews were working to repair the tracks between East Inskip Drive and one of the collision sites at Gerdau Construction Products on Coster Road. The train consisted of three locomotives and 68 rail cars.

The derailment was blocking one highway-rail grade crossing at Inskip Road. Sections of the tracks were moved nearly 15 feet from their original location during the derailment, and double-stacked shipping containers had been severely disfigured and were leaning at perilous angles over what was left of the chain-link fence around the tracks.

Damaged shipping containers and debris from the train derailment at the intersection of East Inskip Drive and Fennel Road. (Photo: SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL)

One of the businesses damaged by the derailment was Fiber Tech, 230 E. Inskip Drive, which does boat repairs.

“One of the cars is sitting inside my building,” said a man answering the phone there who said he was the owner of the business but would not give further identification. “There was a motor home parked next to the building. There is a train car sitting on it. Inside the building is a train car that came through the back of the building.”

He said the business was closed and no one was there at the time of the derailment. In the dark, he said, it was hard to tell the extent of the damage.


Michael Robinson, of Knoxville, discovers that his camper trailer was crushed by a train car at the scene of a 50-car train derailment in Knoxville, Tenn., on Sunday, October 22, 2017. (Calvin Mattheis/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP) (Photo: Calvin Mattheis, Associate Press)

Michael Armstrong, who owns Glassworxx Car Audio next door to Fiber Tech, said that he had left the area only an hour before the train derailed. Armstrong said he had just stepped out of the shower when he got a text saying that a train had gone off the tracks and hit a building.

Armstrong was on the scene Saturday night with his son, Chase Pressley, and his friend Michael Robinson when he saw that his RV, which was parked on the south side of the Fiber Tech building, had been crushed by the rogue containers.

The same containers ripped open the side of Fiber Tech, creating a massive hole to the interior. Armstrong, Pressley and Robinson were made to leave the scene early Sunday morning after he discovered what he believed was gasoline leaking from his RV.


Logs spill out of a shipping container carried by a train that derailed at the intersection of East Inskip Drive and Fennel Road. (Photo: SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL)

The Industrial Fumigates Co. and Kerley Heating & Air Conditioning were among the other businesses whose buildings were damaged in the derailment. Vic Kerley said he expected Kerley Heating & Air to reopen Monday despite damage done to the building's roof by a fallen tree.

Now that crews have finished removing the containers and cars from the tracks, they will repair the tracks and take the derailed cars and containers from the scene, according to Terpay. East Inskip Drive is expected to remain closed into Monday.

One crew membner dead, another missing after the oil barge B255 under tow by the ATB tug Buster Bouchard, caught fire three miles off the harbor entrance at Port Aransas, Texas

One Dead in Oil Barge Fire Off Port Aransas


By MarEx 2017-10-20 15:25:38

The U.S. Coast Guard reported Friday that the oil barge B255 caught fire early on Friday at a position about three miles off the harbor entrance at Port Aransas, Texas. The barge was under tow by the ATB tug Buster Bouchard at the time of the incident. One of the tug's eight crewmembers has been confirmed dead and one remains missing. The USCG has not released information on whether any of the survivors sustained injuries.

At 0435, USCG Sector Corpus Christi received a mayday from the captain of the Bouchard, who reported that the barge attached to his tug was on fire and two crewmembers were unaccounted for.

The Coast Guard dispatched a small response boat and a Dolphin search and rescue helicopter to the scene, and the Port of Corpus Christi sent its fireboat to help with the effort to extinguish the blaze. The response team has established a 1,000 yard safety zone in the vicinity of the barge.

The barge is carrying approximately 130,000 barrels of crude oil, and initial reports indicate that there is an unknown amount of oil in the water. The USCG has deployed booms around the vessel to prevent the spread of pollution, and air monitoring is being conducted. The USCG reports that there are no signs of risk to human health at this time.

“In this situation, safety is paramount,” said Capt. Jason Smith, the Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi acting sector commander. “Our first objective is to find the missing crew members, and our immediate second objective is pollution response and ensuring navigational safety in the affected area.”

A unified command including the Coast Guard, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) and a representative of barge owner Bouchard Transportation has been set up to oversee the response effort.

A spokesperson for New York-based vessel operator Bouchard Transportation was not immediately available for comment.

Local newspaper The Island Moon posted additional photos of the response effort at midday on Friday (below). 



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UPDATED Oct. 23, 2017

The Coast Guard suspended its search for two crewmembers offshore of Port Aransas, Texas, Saturday evening.

The two men went missing after the forward section of a barge they were on exploded and caught fire Friday morning, three miles off the jetties of Port Aransas.

The Coast Guard completed a comprehensive search for the two unaccounted crewmembers on Friday and Saturday. Multiple oil discharge recovery and Coast Guard assets are still on scene in the vicinity of the barge that continue to maintain a vigilant watch for the men.

The Coast Guard is ready to resume the search upon receiving any new information on the status or location of the two men.

“We want to convey our deepest condolences to the families of the two crewmembers,” said Capt. Tony Hahn, sector commander of Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. “Our crews performed an exhaustive search and will continue to remain vigilant and monitor the area closely.”

The captain of the 127’x37’x20’, 6,140-hp tugboat Buster Bouchard sent a mayday call at 4:35 a.m. Friday picked up by Coast Guard watchstanders at Corpus Christi, reporting that barge B. No. 255 was on fire and two crewmembers unaccounted for, according to Coast Guard officials. Six other crew were safe, the Coast Guard said.

The vessels operated by Bouchard Transportation Co. Inc., Melville, N.Y., were three miles off the Aransas Pass jetties when the fire broke out. A 45’ response boat from the Port Aransas Coast Guard station was launched, while a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew lifted off from Corpus Christi.


The barge B. No. 255 on fire three miles from the Port Aransas, Texas, jetties Oct. 20, 2017. Coast Guard photo.

A 1,000-yard safety zone was set up around the barge to control vessel traffic as the fire burned. The Port of Corpus Christi fireboat, firefighters from Port Aransas and other local agencies fought the fire, which was extinguished during the day. A watch was set by local firefighters to guard against re-ignition overnight into Saturday, while a unified command with the Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office and a representative for Bouchard continued to manage the incident.

A search continued into Friday night for the two missing crewmembers, the Coast Guard said. Some 2,000’ of pollution booms were set to guard against any spill of the133,000 bbls. of crude oil the barge carried inbound to Corpus Christi. Another 6,000’ of boom were staged on scene if needed to protect environmentally sensitive areas.

The entrance and jetty channels leading to the Corpus Christi ship channel from Harbor Island to offshore were closed to prevent any spread of discharged oil into the port and to “safely facilitate cleanup operations,” Coast Guard officials said Friday night. The Lydia Ann channel and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway remained open, with the 1,000-yard safety zone remaining in effect around the barge.

Coast Guard Capt. Jason Smith, the Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi acting sector commander, credited the actions of local responders to the fire. “We are very appreciative to the Aransas-Corpus Christi Pilot Association, Port of Corpus Christi, and maritime community who have supported the efforts to extinguish the fire, contain the discharge and search for the missing crewmembers,” said Smith.



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Coast Guard responds to barge fire near Port Aransas, Texas
Oct 20th, 2017 


Coast Guard responds to barge on fire approximately three miles from Port Aransas, Texas, jetties Oct. 20, 2017. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Coast Guard is responding to a vessel that caught fire Friday morning three miles off the jetties of Port Aransas, Texas.

At 4:35 a.m., Coast Guard Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi watchstanders received a mayday from the captain of the tug vessel Buster Bouchard over Channel 16 who reported that the barge B255 attached to his tug was on fire and two crewmembers were unaccounted for.



A Coast Guard Station Port Aransas 45-foot Response Boat–Medium, and a Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew departed to search for the missing crewmembers.

A unified command consisting of the Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office and a representative from Gallagher, who is representing Bouchard Transportation who owns the barge, has been set up to manage the incident.

The Port of Corpus Christi’s fireboat along with other local assets are on scene and attempting to extinguish the fire.

The Coast Guard has established a 1,000 yard safety zone and is working with the pilots and harbor master to control vessel traffic in the area.

As a precautionary measure, air monitoring is being conducted. At this time, there is no indication of health risks to the public.

Pollution boom is being staged to protect the environment. The barge is loaded with approximately 133,000 barrels of crude oil. There are initial reports of some oil in the water.

“In this situation, safety is paramount,” said Capt. Jason Smith, the Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi acting sector commander. “Our first objective is to find the missing crewmembers, and our immediate second objective is pollution response and ensuring navigational safety in the affected area.”

A fire Saturday night at TGI Fridays in Orange, CT was accidental and started in a kitchen exhaust hood, likely because of a malfunction or lack of maintenance by failing to clean the grease

ORANGE, CT— A fire Saturday night at TGI Fridays was accidental and started in a kitchen exhaust hood, likely because of a malfunction, Fire Marshal Tim Smith said Sunday.   Lack of proper maintenance is another reason of the failure of the hood.

“It had nothing to do with cooking,” Smith said.

An alarm at the restaurant set off by the sprinklers being activated came into fire headquarters just about the same time an astute manager noticed water dripping from the ceiling was discolored, indicating fire, Smith said.

Smith said that because it is a wooden building, the restaurant at 348 Boston Post has sprinklers above and below the ceiling, as required by law.

He said that while the fire was contained to the ceiling area and extinguished quickly between sprinklers and firefighters, there is extensive smoke damage to the entire restaurant, the electricity had to be cut off and the food can’t be kept, so there is no saying when the business will reopen, Smith said.

It was a busy Saturday night and all customers and employees evacuated safely, as employees handled the event well, he said.

“If that building didn’t have sprinklers, it would have been a different outcome now,” Smith said. He said even if not required by code, sprinklers are a great idea.

Fire agencies from Orange, Woodbridge and West Haven responded to the call that came in at 8:44 p.m., Smith said.

Although the sprinkler system worked as it should have, firefighters had to open the roof up to locate the fire and assure the fire was out.

Smith said cleanup by a restoration company is underway.

It is just about always a stovetop fire that gets drawn up into the duct by the fan and spreads to the accumulated grease on the walls.

At that point there is a risk that the metal duct will heat up enough to transfer the fire to adjacent elements of the buildings structure.

There is also a lesser risk that smoke and fire may push out of the duct along a joint. By code all joints in a restaurant exhaust duct must be welded but this is not always respected.

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The range hood can be a source of grease fires. The range hood serves a few functions in the kitchen. Most of us think that it is meant for ridding the home of cooking smells. Alright, it may accomplish that goal, depending on the type of range hood that you have. The main function of the range hood should be to rid your home of moisture from the cooking process. If you have a recirculating type (a unit that blows the air taken from the cooktop back into the house), you need to open a window to vent the moisture from cooking. The next function of the range hood is to remove grease from the air. Small bits of grease will travel up into the air with the moisture. With the fan on, the range hood takes this air, passing it over a filter, and then out of the unit. The filter catches the grease, but many people forget to clean it. These are wire mesh filters that either slide into place over the fan, or they clip into an opening which leads to the fan.  You can wash the filter like you would your dishes. What happens on the filter is a build-up of grease can drop like moisture that is collecting on a leaf. Once the grease drops, it can hit the hot surface.  I have also seen grease collect on the other surfaces of the range hood, so wiping this appliance down is a good idea. Lastly, a word of advice about a range hood, they often have a light for the cooking surface (I would say always, but you do have different types of range hoods). Make sure that this light is covered. If the light explodes, you will have that glass and other substances in your food. Throw out the food; you do not know what may have dropped into it. 

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How to Protect Your Business From Hidden Fire Hazards in Your Hood and Duct System

February 19, 2014- Posted by HoodFilters.com

Another day, another grease fire.
A simple Google search for “restaurant + fire” quickly reveals news articles on more than 60 restaurant fires in the U.S. during the past month alone. Take a closer look and you’ll see a definite pattern emerge regarding the cause of those fires — grease buildup. In fact, according to a recent report by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), one in five fires at eating and drinking establishments had “failure to clean” listed as a contributing factor.

The NFPA study showed an average of nearly 8,000 reported fires and $246 million in property damage, with grease related fires costing restaurant owners an average of more than $50 million per year. With statistics like these, it’s easy to see why grease vapor accumulation in hood systems and ductwork is one of the biggest hazards facing commercial kitchens today.

Costly repairs, loss of revenue, and the possibility of temporarily – or permanently – closing your establishment gives even the smallest fire the potential to be a business-ending catastrophe.


From $100,000 worth of damages at a Burger King in Boston, Massachusetts and more than $750,000 in damages at the El Pollo Rico chicken restaurant in Wheaton, Maryland, to a whopping $1 million in damages at the aptly named Flames café in San Jose, California, grease fires are shutting down restaurants of all kinds every single day.

Beware of dangers lurking in your restaurant and protect your business from hidden fire hazards

There’s no denying it. If you don’t keep your kitchen exhaust system clean, you’re going to get burned. When hood systems are not regularly cleaned, as much as three inches of grease can accumulate on the bottom of horizontal duct sections. Improperly cleaned hoods that are supposed to help contain fires may instead accelerate them. Jonathan Hart, a fire protection engineer with the NFPA explains, “When you have a dirty duct, that can act like a fuel.”

Some types of grease buildup can even cause fire-extinguishing systems to malfunction by plugging up their mechanisms. According to the NFPA, this grease buildup is one of the primary causes of commercial kitchen fire-extinguishing system failure and only adds to the hazards of improperly cleaned hoods.

Even more frequently overlooked is rooftop grease. Grease vapor travels up through the exhaust system and solidifies onto the fan blades and housing, causing a buildup of grease that eventually runs onto the rooftop. Without a rooftop grease containment system in place, not only does the grease buildup become additional fuel for fires, it can cause significant and costly structural damage. But the problem doesn’t stop there; the grease also becomes an environmental hazard when it runs off into the water drainage system, which can result in regulatory fines from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Don’t fall into the grease trap!

When it comes to fires, a good offense is your best defense. Unfortunately, many busy restaurant operators have trouble finding time to schedule their kitchen exhaust cleaning. But the worst thing you can do is to skip them. Be proactive and establish a cleaning and maintenance plan with a professional hood cleaning company that adheres to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.

Another very important part of protecting your establishment against grease related fires is ensuring that you select the right type of hood filters. With so many variables, it’s easy to make mistakes like picking the wrong filter for the job. Our Hood Filter Buying Guide takes the guesswork out of which filter to buy and answers common questions about ensuring the proper fit, correct installation, when to replace, and compliance requirements.

Keeping it clean

Just how often do hood systems and filters need to be cleaned? That usually depends on the type of food prepared and the number of hours your vents are in use per day. Most hood filters perform at their best with a daily or weekly cleaning and a professional cleaning of your entire exhaust system is recommended at least 2 – 3 times per year.

It’s important to remember that grease-laden filters are just as dangerous as dirty ductwork. They can also increase your utility costs and affect your health inspection score. However, hood filter cleaning doesn’t have to be difficult. You just need to implement a regular cleaning routine, which will make them last longer and significantly reduce your risk of fire.

This may come as a surprise, but good old-fashioned hand washing remains the most effective way to keep hood filters clean. However, many foodservice operators find it easier to invest in a deep soak system like a Hood Filter Soak Cart. It holds as many as 6 filters for efficient cleaning that minimizes time and labor costs.

Restaurant owners looking for more information on fire safety best practices and requirements may find the National Fire Protection Association website a helpful resource. There, you can find current information on “NFPA 96: Standard For Ventilation Control And Fire Protection Of Commercial Cooking Operations” as well as research, safety and training information.

Start reducing your risk right away

There will always be a risk for fire in commercial kitchens, but following a few simple precautions, restaurant owners can easily lower that risk and safeguard their business.

Use approved hoods with grease-tight fittings; make sure you have the right hood filters and make sure they are cleaned on a regular schedule; use a rooftop grease containment system; and schedule routine cleaning and maintenance of your kitchen exhaust system to avoid excess grease accumulation.
 

A shipfitter doing hot work was critically injured after an explosion at Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula, MS

PASCAGOULA, MS — An employee at a Mississippi shipyard has been hurt after an explosion at the facility.

WLOX-TV reports the incident at Ingalls in Pascagoula happened Friday morning.

Ingalls spokesman Bill Glenn says a shipfitter was performing hot work in a unit when the incident happened about 8:30 a.m. Family members tell the television station the employee suffered wounds over 78 percent of his body. Glenn says the employee has been transported to USA Medical Center in Mobile, Alabama, for further care.

A Singing River Health System official says the injured worker was first treated at their facility before being transferred in critical condition.

No other injuries were reported.

Glenn said the facility was open and operating Saturday and the incident remained under investigation.

About Huntington Ingalls
Huntington Ingalls Industries designs, builds and manages the life-cycle of the most complex nuclear and conventionally-powered ships for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard.  For more than a century, HII’s Newport News and Ingalls shipbuilding divisions in Virginia and Mississippi have built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder.  HII also provides engineering and project management services expertise to the commercial energy industry, the Department of Energy and other government customers. Headquartered in Newport News, Virginia, HII employs more than 39,000 people operating both domestically and internationally. For more information, visit:

• HII on the web: www.huntingtoningalls.com
• HII on Facebook: www.facebook.com/HuntingtonIngallsIndustries
• HII on Twitter: twitter.com/hiindustries

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Investigation underway into Ingalls accident which injured employee

Updated on October 21, 2017

By Warren Kulo



PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- An investigation has been launched into a Friday morning accident at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula which left one employee critically injured.

Ingalls spokesperson Bill Glenn said Saturday the incident occurred about 8:30 a.m. Friday and involved a shipfitter who was performing "hot work" in a shipyard unit. Shipfitters generally lay out and fabricate metal structural parts, such as plates, bulkheads, and frames, and brace them in position within hull of ship for riveting or welding.

"Ingalls emergency personnel responded to the scene and provided medical assistance," Glenn said in a statement. "The employee has been transported to USA Medical Center in Mobile for further care. The incident is under investigation.

"It is premature to comment any further because the incident is under investigation."

Glenn did not categorize the accident as an "explosion."

Memorial service held for prison employees Justin Smith and Veronica Darden who were killed in an incident Oct. 12 at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution in NC after inmates started a fire in a sewing plant.

Justin Smith and Veronica Darden who were killed in an incident Oct. 12 at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution in NC after inmates started a fire in a sewing plant.

Memorial service held for Pasquotank worker killed during failed prison break

  By Matthew Twist 

Updated: October 21, 2017, 6:37 pm

 
(North Carolina Department of Public Safety)

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C (WAVY) – A private memorial has been held for the Pasquotank Correctional Institute work who was killed during an attempted prison break on Oct. 12.

The service for Correction Enterprises manager Veronica Darden was held Saturday morning, and the service for Correctional Officer Justin Smith will be held Sunday. Both services are being held at Elizabeth City State University. Justin Smith, left, and Veronica Darden, were killed in an incident Oct. 12 at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution. Officials said inmates started a fire in a sewing plant. Several inmates tried to escape after the fire was started, but were unsuccessful.



North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper released a statement on today’s service:


I spent some time today with the families of Corrections Officer Justin Smith and Corrections Enterprises leader Veronica Darden who were tragically killed in the attempted prison escape in Pasquotank County. I presented these families with both American and North Carolina flags that had been flown over the state Capitol. I am grateful for the lives of these two brave public servants and for their very special families who have touched me today with their kindness and courage in the face of profound loss and deep sorrow.”

A joint news conference was held Friday morning in Pasquotank County — where officials announced the charges against inmates Wisezah Buckman, Seth Frazier, Mikel Brady and Jonathan Monk.

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ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. (WAVY) — Two prison employees died and several others were injured following a fire and attempted prison break Thursday afternoon at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution.

The North Carolina Department of Public Safety has identified the two victims as Justin Smith, a 35-year-old correctional officer and Veronica Darden, a 50-year-old correction enterprises manager.

Officials said inmates started a fire around 3 p.m. at the prison’s specialty sewing plant, where about 30 inmates work. The fires were extinguished by 5 p.m.

After the fire was started, several inmates tried to escape the prison. In a news conference Friday, officials said there was no evidence any inmates left the prison yard.

Fourteen patients were taken to Sentara Albemarle Medical Center, three of whom were taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Sentara Healthcare officials said 10 of the 14 transported were employees, while the other four were inmates.

Of more than a dozen people hospitalized, three remain at Sentara Norfolk.

Annie Harvey, Deputy Director of Prisons, identified the remaining patients at Sentara Norfolk as Correctional Officers Wendy Shannon and George Midgett and maintenance mechanic Geoffrey Howe. Officer Midgett has been upgraded to fair condition. Howe and Officer Shannon remain in critical condition, Harvey said.

North Carolina officials provide an update Oct. 13, 2017 to an incident a the Pasquotank prison. Credit WAVY/Walter Hildebrand.

Howe’s aunt told 10 On Your Side he was attacked with a hammer, underwent surgey and was in the neuro ICU.

“We are praying for their recovery,” Harvey said. “Correctional Officers work every day to keep you safe and often we don’t feel that we receive the same respect that other law enforcement officers do. I ask that you call us Correctional Officers, not guards because they do more than just guard a door. We believe in what we do. We are committed in keeping you safe. but things are going to happen because it’s prison.”

Officials said the seven other employees and four inmates injured in the incident have been released from Sentara Albemarle.

Officials said Friday an estimated 200 law enforcement officers responded to the incident. The prison remained on lockdown Friday for “security reasons.”

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced action on prison safety Friday afternoon — including suspending an inmate work program.

Three nearby schools were placed on lockdown  — Northside Elementary School, Elizabeth City Middle School and Pasquotank County High School. The lockdowns were lifted Thursday evening.

All afternoon activities at the schools were cancelled.

Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools sent out the following message Thursday afternoon:

Due to an incident that is taking place at the local jail north of town, Northside Elementary, Elizabeth City Middle School and Pasquotank County High School have been placed on lock down at the advice of Emergency Management.
Students who are bus riders who have not arrived home as of yet, will be returned to the school until we hear further from Emergency Management. Students and staff currently at these schools will not be released until we hear further from Emergency Management.
A follow up notification will be issued to update parents as to the lock down situation at our schools.

The school system said on Facebook — at the time of the lockdowns — that students on buses who had not made it home were taken back to the schools because of the potential for inmates being in the area.

Elizabeth City fire crews and EMS responded to the prison, along with local police officers and sheriff’s office deputies.

A spokesperson with the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed a helo crew from Elizabeth City was assisting North Carolina officials with the response to the incident.

Gov. Roy Cooper released this statement:

“Those who work in our prisons do a difficult and demanding job that is critical to our safety. We’re grateful to these fallen prison employees for their service, and we offer our condolences to their families, friends, coworkers and community on this tragic loss.”

According to NCDPS, the prison consists four buildings, in addition to inmate housing. This includes a visiting area, recreation area, dining hall, warehouse, vocational and academic classrooms, medical and mental health offices, and administrative offices.

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ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. -- Four inmates who officials said attempted to escape from a North Carolina prison last week have been charged in the deaths of two prison employees, reports CBS affiliate WNCN.

The inmates allegedly started a fire at a sewing plant inside the Pasquotank Correctional Facility in Elizabeth City on Oct. 12, prison spokesman Keith Acree said in a statement Thursday. After the fire was set, several inmates unsuccessfully attempted to escape, reports CBS affiliate WTKR. It wasn't clear how many inmates were involved in the escape attempt.


Justin Smith and Veronica Darden were the two prison employees who died during a failed escape attempt on October 12, 2017 at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, state prison officials said North Carolina Department of Public Safety.

Justin Smith, a 35-year-old correctional officer and Veronica Darden, a 50-year-old correction enterprises manager, were identified as the two people killed. Darden trained about 30 inmates at the prison sewing plant to make safety vests and other embroidered items, according to officials. Smith also provided security in the sewing plant and had worked as a correctional officer since 2012.

Officials have not said how the victims died.

Pasquotank County District Attorney Andrew Womble announced Friday that his office has charged inmates Wisezah Buckman, Seth J. Frasier, Mikel Brady and Jonathan M. Monk each with two counts of first-degree murder.

Womble told WNCN this is the "most serious matter I've ever prosecuted."

"I can't imagine these families, what they're going through," said Pasquotank County Sheriff Randy Cartwright.

More charges are expected in connection with the deadly attempted escape.

Worker Melissa Stephens, 44, was crushed to death by machinery at the Autoneum North America plant in Jeffersonville, KY

JEFFERSONVILLE — Clark County Coroner Billy Scott has ruled multiple blunt-force trauma as the preliminary cause of death for an employee who died at a plant in the River Ridge Commerce Center Saturday.

Melissa Stephens, 44, died late Saturday after an accident with a machine at Autoneum, a Swiss-based company that manufactures GM and Ford parts, Scott said.

Jeffersonville Police responded to the incident just after midnight Sunday. But since it is not believed to be a criminal death investigation, it is now in the hands of the Clark County Coroner's Office and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA.)

Stephens' autopsy was performed early Monday morning, Scott said. Official results will take a few weeks, pending a toxicology report.

Hollis said Stephens' death is the second fatality within the past year at River Ridge. In November, 33-year-old employee of Florida-based construction company Gardner-Watson fell 50 feet to his death from a ladder.

In May, Autoneum's Toledo, Ohio, plant was cited nearly $570,000 for violations following the amputation of an employee's hand, wrist and part of his forearm. Included in the citation were three “willful violations,” which means the company was aware of them, and two repeated violations.

The company provided a statement today regarding the death at the Jeffersonville facility.

"We confirm that a fatal accident happened Saturday night at the Autoneum plant in Jeffersonville, Indiana," the statement read. "We immediately started an internal investigation and work closely together with various authorities. As a globally producing company, Autoneum complies with occupational health and safety regulations at all locations and is committed to the highest local and international standards in this area.

"We are deeply affected by this accident and our thoughts go out to the family of our colleague."

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JEFFERSONVILLE, IN (WAVE) - Jeffersonville police are investigating a death at an auto machine factory.

A woman was killed Saturday night at Autoneum North America, located on River Ridge Parkway. The company makes parts for General Motors and Ford.

The incident involved machinery, according to police, and they believe it was an accident.

The Clark County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Melissa Stephens, 44. Her autopsy is scheduled for Monday.

WAVE 3 News reached out the company, which is based in Switzerland, but have not yet received a comment.

OSHA is investigating Stephens' death.

Looking into the company's records, we found hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for safety violations.


We talked to two former Autoneum employees. One man said he quit the auto parts factory because of what he called dangerous working conditions.

Autoneum has five factories in the US. We found the company has faced numerous OSHA violations before at its other plants - 33 in the past four years alone.

We did not find not find any from the Jeffersonville plant. But, earlier this year, the company was fined nearly $600,000 after a worker lost an arm in a shredder in Ohio. OSHA also reported the shredder did not have a proper guard to avoid injury.

OSHA stated three of the violations were willful, meaning the company was aware of the problem.

Autoneum North America, Inc.

100 River Ridge Parkway
Jeffersonville, Indiana 47130 - USA
Telephone: 812-590-1950
Website: www.autoneum.com

Under construction. Products to include automotive sound and thermal management materials and floor carpets. Site activities to include manufacturing and distribution.

Employees: 220

Facility size: 300,000 ft.²

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Updated: Oct 22, 2017 7:42 PM EST




LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jeffersonville Police are conducting a death investigation after an employee died at a River Ridge auto parts plant.  The worker was crushed to death by machinery.

Officers responded to Autoneum North America on River Ridge Parkway in Jeffersonville late Saturday night.

Police tell WDRB no foul play is suspected in the employee's death.

No other information was immediately available as the investigation is ongoing.  

This story will be updated as more information becomes available