MEC&F Expert Engineers : 10/24/17

Tuesday, October 24, 2017

Unlicensed contractor Oscar M. Palma from Fort Myers, Fla., has been arrested after he was found to be conducting subpar roof repairs and operating without insurance in the wake of Hurricane Irma.



Unlicensed Contractor Arrested by Florida Disaster Fraud Strike Team
October 24, 2017


An unlicensed contractor from Fort Myers, Fla., has been arrested after he was found to be conducting subpar roof repairs and operating without insurance in the wake of Hurricane Irma.  



Palma was released from the Lee County Jail on $5,000 bond.

If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison.



Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said Oscar M. Palma was arrested this month by the Department of Financial Services’ Disaster Fraud Action Strike Team.



Palma was reported to authorities after allegedly making subpar roof repairs to an area apartment complex following Hurricane Irma. A statement from DFS said an investigation was then launched where fraud detectives found Palma was advertising himself as a licensed and insured contractor, but held no workers’ compensation coverage and was not licensed as a contractor.

“When contractors fail to secure workers’ compensation coverage, a myriad of risks are presented, and we are sending a message that taking short cuts will not be tolerated,” Patronis said. “If any of Palma’s workers were to get injured, the property owners, who are already going through high-stress and costly times dealing with Hurricane Irma damages, or the employee themselves are forced to pay out-of-pocket for medical expenses. Our efforts are focused on ensuring our residents, consumers and employees don’t fall victim to Irma twice, and these types of uninsured activities could cause just that.”

The Department’s Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Compliance received a tip Oct. 12, 2017, alleging unlicensed, uninsured and careless roof work was being performed by Palma’s company. Investigators visited one of Palma’s current work sites and issued a stop work order upon confirming Palma failed to secure workers’ compensation insurance and Palma’s confession to having no professional license.

He was arrested Oct. 13, 2017, and transported to Lee County Jail.

This case will be prosecuted by the Lee County Office of the State Attorney, 20th Judicial Circuit. If convicted, Palma could face up to five years in prison.

DFS’s anti-fraud strike team consists of three teams working in areas heavily impacted by Hurricane Irma including South Florida, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties; Southwest Florida, including Lee and Collier counties; and Central Florida, including Polk and Orange counties. To report suspected fraud, call the Department’s toll-free Fraud Tip Hotline at 1-800-378-0445.

Source: Florida Department of Financial Services 



Oscar Palma Overview

Oscar Palma has been associated with three companies, according to public records. The companies were formed over a six year period with the most recent being incorporated eleven years ago in December of 2005. Zero of the companies are still active while the remaining three are now listed as inactive.

Boyne Resorts will require workers to wear safety helmets when working on the mountains following the death in March of Alexander Witt, who wasn’t wearing a helmet and died while working on a steep trail at Sugarloaf USA in Maine







The standard is clear that if protective equipment is required, then it should be supplied and used.”–OSHA Spokesman


A company that operates nine ski resorts in the U.S. and Canada will require workers to wear safety helmets when working on the mountains.

The new policy follows the death in March of Alexander Witt, who wasn’t wearing a helmet and died while working on a steep trail at Sugarloaf USA in Maine. The resort was fined $11,400 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.



A spokeswoman for Boyne Resorts told New Hampshire Public Radio that the new policy now applies to all its resorts, which also include Maine’s Sunday River and Loon Mountain in New Hampshire. The company also owns resorts in Michigan, Montana, Utah, Washington and British Columbia.

The National Ski Areas Association says the industry in general is moving toward such policies.


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


The standard is clear that if protective equipment is required, then it should be supplied and used.”–OSHA Spokesman


Sugarloaf’s parent company, Boyne Resorts, also developed a new corporate policy requiring staff to wear safety helmets when working the mountain following the death of a Sugarloaf worker last season and a federal fine.

Bangor Daily News reports last March Sugarloaf employee, Alexander Witt, was working on a steep Sugarloaf trail when he lost his balance and tumbled 100 yards downhill without a helmet on and was killed by blunt force trauma to his head. OSHA fined Sugarloaf $11,408 for a serious violation of federal rules.

Boyne Resorts company spokeswoman, Julie Ard, said helmet policies at the resorts they operate varied from one mountain to the next but are now uniform:

“We have implemented a helmet policy. It is a requirement now that all of our team members at all locations in the U.S. and Canada are wearing approved helmets when on snow or actually on a bicycle as well.”

Boyne Resorts operates Sugarloaf, Sunday River, Loon Mountain and seven other ski resorts. The National Ski Areas Association says the industry in general is moving toward such policies, although there is no uniform standard.





Alexander David Witt (1992-2017)
Posted by Administrator • March 6, 2017 •


Alexander David Witt

CARRABASSETT VALLEY – Alexander David Witt, age 24, “Alex,” died while combining his work with his passion for skiing, on Friday morning March 3, 2017. Alex, who was known by a variety of other nicknames that were endearing to his fun-loving persona, was at his on-mountain job, preparing a course for an upcoming mogul competition on the double black diamond Skidder Trail.

The world was made a kinder, gentler, and more humorous place on June 19, 1992, in Farmington, when he was born the second of two children to the loving family of James M. and Michele K. (Wallin) Witt IV. In his formative years, he played Little League baseball, starting his career as a Temple Tiger. He went on to be a pitcher for the Titans and then the Babe Ruth Franklin County Flyers All-Star team, where he was a valued teammate for his curveball, knuckle ball pitches, his power hitting, and most importantly for his supportive team spirit.

He was a 2010 Mt. Blue High School graduate, where he was an athlete who competed in skiing, baseball and golf. Alex offered humor to most any escapade. He valued time with family and friends on ski slopes, at the bowling alley, on the baseball field and on golf courses. A lover of nature, he cherished spending time with his family and friends at their home on Clearwater Lake, both on and off the water. Next to his many friends and family, Alex was most enthusiastic about his love of music. He garnered endless hours of pleasure listening to his favorite bands, Phish and the Grateful Dead (in that order). He spent days on end traveling the countryside with fellow enthusiasts and beloved friends attending festivals and concerts which he always shared in detail with his family upon returning home. He was also a connoisseur of beer, especially craft beer. He loved sampling new varieties from all around the country and sharing his extensive knowledge with other brew lovers. Whether on a mountain, a lake, a dirt road, or a concert at Madison Square Garden, Alex was always in pursuit of the next adventure with his friends and family.

Alex was a free spirit who lifted up everyone who knew him. His sense of humor and loyalty to those he loved was legendary. “To know him was to love him” is a common phrase used to describe him.
He attended Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. He was employed by the Sugarloaf Mountain Competition Center Race Crew, where he was valued for his work ethic, his knowledge of ski racing, and his positive attitude. His truly remarkable spirit not only positively impacted his co- workers but also the coaches and athletes who were lucky enough to reap the rewards of his work. He felt most at home in the mountains and on the lakes in his native Franklin County.

Alex is loved by his parents: Jim and Michele Witt of Industry; his sister Jamie Witt Burns and her husband, (who Alex considered a brother), Benjamin Burns of Freeport; maternal grandmother: Meredith A. Sherman of Farmington; paternal grandmother: W. Corinne Witt of Farmington; three uncles: Edward G. Witt, “Ed” (Diana) of Madison, NH and Robert S. Witt, “Rob” (Nichole) of Wilton; beloved cousins Amy Witt, Elizabeth Witt Lowe, Jeffrey Witt and Edward Witt, Jr., “Eddie” (Meghan).

He was predeceased by his maternal grandfather, David C. Wallin and paternal grandfather, James M. Witt, III.

“Phunkle Al” is also survived by his sister’s dogs, Luna and Gauge, and a collection of loving, loyal, and very special friends whom he adored.

To honor Alex, his family asks that everyone should find as many opportunities as possible to spread love, laughter, or kindness to others, and to take every chance available to take the time to enjoy life’s pleasures, both large and small.

Please share with his family your condolences and tributes on his memorial wall at www.wilesrc.com, where his memorial video tribute will also be able to be viewed.

Family and friends are invited to call at the Wiles Remembrance Center, 137 Farmington Falls Rd. (Rtes. 2 & 27) Farmington on Friday, March 10, 2017 from 4-7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday morning March 11, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Middle Street, Farmington with Rev. Paul Dumais as celebrant. Following Mass, a reception will be held at the Parish Hall, hosted by the Altar Guild and Calzolaio Pasta Co. In keeping with Alex’s love for the sport of skiing, remembrance gifts may be given to the Titcomb Ski Education Fdt. PO Box 138 West Farmington, Maine, 04992. Spring interment at Fairview Cemetery in Farmington.

Cleanup efforts of displaced vessels are progressing throughout Florida waterways six weeks after Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys.


Crews continue to mitigate pollution threats from vessels displaced by Hurricane Irma 








October 23rd, 2017 


Response crews work to remove a submerged vessel in Boot Key Harbor, Fla., Oct. 16, 2017. Response crews from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Environmental Protection Agency are managing vessel removal operations throughout Florida in response to Hurricane Irma with a priority on vessels leaking fuel or hazardous materials. FEMA photo by J.T. Blatty.

MIAMI, FL — Cleanup efforts of displaced vessels are progressing throughout Florida waterways six weeks after Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys.

Nearly 230 people from state and federal agencies are involved in the disaster response.



The Unified Command for the response—officially titled Emergency Support Function 10 Florida consists of leaders from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

As the focus of the response is on safety of human life and environmental protection, vessel owners are encouraged to hire a professional salvage company in order to provide the safest method possible.

“Owners of displaced vessels are urged to wear closed-toe shoes and a life jacket if they’re considering going aboard to retrieve personal belongings,” said Cmdr. JoAnne Hanson, Coast Guard Incident Commander for ESF10 Florida. “It is also advised to have a safety observer present.”

Responders are prioritizing the removal of vessels based on environmental impact.

“We deploy trained Natural Resource Advisors to monitor operations in sensitive habitats or near wildlife that is threatened or endangered,” said Timyn Rice, the Environmental Unit Leader for ESF10 Florida. “We’ve consulted with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, FWC, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to establish best management practices to avoid environmental impacts during removal operations.”

For more imagery and video of the Hurricane Irma response, please visit our Hurricane Irma Flickr page.

The house fire that took the life of Jane "Nikki" Engel, 70, and several of her dogs in Desert Hot Springs, CA in August was electrical in nature








DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. - The official cause of the fire that took the life of Jane "Nikki" Engel in Desert Hot Springs in August was electrical in nature, Cal Fire has now disclosed.

Earlier we reported that Desert Hot Springs police ruled the death accidental.




The blaze was reported on Aug.4 in a single-family residence in the 9000 block of Calle de Vecinos.

No injuries were initially reported in connection with the blaze, but Desert Hot Springs police said that as firefighters were putting the fire out, Engel's body was found inside the home.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department said the cause of death is listed as inhalation of products of combustion.

Engel,70, was a prolific volunteer who was known for her work with the Desert Hot Springs Women's Club to the Veterans of Foreign War.



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



DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. - A woman and her dogs were found dead after a fire at a Desert Hot Springs home Thursday.

The blaze was reported at 8:39 a.m. in the single-family residence in the 9000 block of Calle de Vecinos, said Tawny Cabral of the Riverside County Fire Department.

No injuries were initially reported in connection with the blaze, but Desert Hot Springs police said Thursday afternoon that as firefighters were putting the fire out, a woman's body was found inside the home.



 

According to DHS PD Deputy Chief Jim Henson, police found a white adult female, deceased inside the home.

The Riverside County Coroners' office identified the woman as 70-year-old Jane Engel.

There were also some deceased dogs found in the home, Henson said.


 

Twenty firefighters got the flames under control by 9:40 a.m., Cabral said. There was no immediate word on what sparked the fire.

Henson said Desert Hot Springs police and Riverside County Fire investigators were working together to determine what caused the deaths and the fire.

Darrell Wayne Wilson, 48, died when his wife placed frozen food on hot oil on a stove and caused a fire at their home at 406 McAdenville Road in Gaston County, NC




Lowell , NC
 
The Gaston County Fire Marshal has determined that food on a stove caused the fire at a Lowell home that left a man dead and woman injured Friday evening.

Fire Marshal Eric Hendrix said that the woman had a pot of oil heating on a stove at the duplex home at 406 McAdenville Road. He said the fire ignited around 5 p.m. when the woman put a handful of frozen fries in the pot.

“Anytime you put something frozen like that into a pot of oil, any moisture left on the fries is going to cause the oil to splash out,” said Hendrix. “It usually flashes immediately. It’s a quick fire that spreads to everywhere.”

Fire officials were notified of the fire around 5:16 p.m. Emergency crews pulled the man from the home, but he was not able to be saved. The woman was transported to CaroMont Regional Medical Center in Gastonia with minor, non-life-threatening burns. It’s unclear whether she has been released from the hospital.

Hendrix said Saturday morning that Lowell Police will likely release the names of the couple following notification of the man’s family.

The left side of the duplex where the couple lived is considered a total loss and will have to be gutted, according to Hendrix.

A woman who lived in the right side of the duplex has been temporarily displaced after her unit suffered minor smoke and water damage.

“Neither unit is livable right now,” said Hendrix.

The duplex has been owned by Neil Earl Cannon, of Gastonia, since 1981, according to Gaston County property records.

This story will be updated as new details emerge.



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



Updated Oct 23, 2017 at 1:20 PM



Lowell Police have identified the man killed in a house fire Friday.

Darrell Wayne Wilson, 48, died when food on a stove caused a fire at his home at 406 McAdenville Road. A woman who also lived at the home, Sally Simmons, suffered minor injuries in the blaze, said Police Chief Scott Bates.

“She got him to the back door, but he had some health issues,” Bates said. “We’re not sure if the cause of death is smoke inhalation or some other medical issue.”

The Gaston County Fire Marshal’s Office ruled the fire accidental. Bates said the fatal fire remains under investigation but that police do not consider it suspicious.

“We don’t see anything that would raise an eyebrow,” Bates said.

Simmons was able to escape the home, but when rescue workers arrived Wilson was still on the patio. Wilson used oxygen tanks to help him breathe, Bates said.



Wilson was a member of the North Gaston Church of God and was known as someone with a strong faith. His faith did not prevent the God to take his life. So much for religous people believeing the He will save them. NOT!




“He always had a positive, upbeat outlook on life and circumstances and was very giving to others,” according to his obituary.

Fire Marshal Eric Hendrix said that the woman had a pot of oil heating on a stove at the duplex home. He said the fire ignited around 5 p.m. when the woman put a handful of frozen french fries in the pot.

“Anytime you put something frozen like that into a pot of oil, any moisture left on the fries is going to cause the oil to splash out,” Hendrix said. “It usually flashes immediately. It’s a quick fire that spreads to everywhere.”







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



October 20, 2017 at 7:38 PM


A man is dead and his wife was taken to the hospital following a duplex fire on Friday.

Eric Sauerwein sprinted over to the 406 McAdenville Road home in Lowell after pulling into his nearby residence and seeing smoke. But the fire extinguisher he wielded could do little to help the man inside.

“A lot of good that was going to do,” he said. “I could hear his wife hollering, ‘Help us. Help us.’ I ran over there and there was probably a dozen or so people over there before I got there. That fire extinguisher was moot.”

The male resident, who has only been identified as a 49 year old, was taken out of the house before dying at the scene, Lowell Police say. The Gaston County Fire Marshal’s Office continues to investigate the blaze, which was reported to firefighters at 5:16 p.m.

Fire marshals haven’t yet revealed the cause of the fire, though neighbors speculate it was the result of hot grease left on a stove. The other half of the duplex appeared to be intact.

The man used an oxygen tank to assist his breathing, his neighbors said. His wife was taken to the hospital with burn marks that aren’t expected to be serious, according to police. Sauerwein says he knew when emergency workers pulled the man out of the house the circumstances seemed dire.

“I could tell then, he wasn’t coherent,” he said.

The Fire Marshal’s office continues to investigate.

29 years in prison for drunk and reckless killer driver Admerson Cleber Eugenio Vicente-Vicente; he had a blood-alcohol level about twice the legal level when he drove head-on into and killed Alexis Musumeci, 24, and Brittany Musumeci, 23





Jupiter man who caused a fiery, wrong-way crash in 2015 that killed two sisters driving on Interstate-95 to Broward County has been sentenced to 29 years, with credit for time served.

Admerson Cleber Eugenio Vicente-Vicente had a blood-alcohol level about twice the legal level when he drove head-on into the women, who were heading to their mother's home in Pompano Beach after a trip to Universal Studios.

Vicente-Vicente, 26, appeared before a judge in Martin County on Thursday morning to face six charges. Four of the charges were dismissed for being repetitive. He pleaded no contest to two DUI manslaughter charges.

"I know I have caused much pain," Vicente-Vicente told Judge Lawrence Mirman through an interpreter. "I want to beg [the family] to forgive me. How many times I wake up asking why did they die and not I?"

Those killed were Alexis Musumeci, 24, a U.S. Air Force staff sergeant, who most recently served in England. She had just signed up for a tour in South Korea, which she hoped would land her a coveted assignment in Japan.

Her sister Brittany Musumeci, 23, was a violinist who had graduated four months before the crash with honors from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She was her school’s homecoming queen and was headed to South Korea to be close to her sister. She planned to teach both English and violin there.





Admerson Cleber Eugenio Vicente-Vicente, the Jupiter man accused of causing a fiery, wrong-way crash in 2015 that killed two sisters driving to Broward County has been sentenced to 29 years, with credit for time served.

Vicente-Vicente wasn't supposed to be behind the wheel of a car until 2020 because he was a "habitual traffic offender," according to the Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles.

He was charged with a DUI in 2010 and twice accused of driving with a suspended license in 2014. Records show that by March 2015, Vicente-Vicente's license had been revoked for five years.

Vicente-Vicente, a citizen of Guatemala, will be deported after his prison term.

In two separate blood tests, Vicente-Vicente had a blood-alcohol level of 0.169 and 0.170 — above Florida's legal level of 0.08 — during the Sept. 26, 2015, crash, which happened southwest of Stuart, according to the arrest warrant.

Prosecutors said Thursday that he also tested positive for drugs.

Vicente-Vicente’s brother, Lazaro Vicente-Vicente, asked the judge for mercy, saying their father was in Guatemala and was an alcoholic.

"I want the judge to be compassionate to my brother," he said. "He didn't do it on purpose."

Vicente-Vicente could have been sentenced to 30 years — 15 years for each woman — but because he made an open plea in court, eliminating a jury trial, the judge said he should receive an incentive.

However, he called Vicente-Vicente’s decision to drink and drive "stupid behavior. All it takes is one idiot to throw a rock in a pond and all the geniuses in the world cannot stop the ripple."

Mirman said he was glad Vicente-Vicente apologized to the family and that he hoped "perhaps as they go through their life and attempt to put this behind them, maybe that will assist them."



Vicente-Vicente was going north in the inside southbound lane when the cars collided, investigators said.

The women’s 2007 Toyota Matrix was struck by Vicente-Vicente's 2006 Jeep Cherokee about 9 p.m. His vehicle came to rest on top of the hood of the women’s car after a fiery impact.

Drivers were calling 911 to report that a red Jeep was swerving in and out of lanes and then the calls stopped, said prosecutor Marcus Johnson.

Both sisters died at the scene and had to be identified with dental records. Vicente-Vicente was critically injured.

The women's mother, Martha Canizares, said Alexis Musumeci texted about 8 p.m. to tell her they were on their way home. When Canizares later tried to check on them, the call went to voicemail. She texted and got nothing.

At midnight, there was a knock from the Florida Highway Patrol.

It was "despair I didn't know was possible," she said. "I wailed, I cried. This had to be a dream, this had to be a mistake.”

The women’s older sister said she now requires medication to make it through the day and has been diagnosed with anxiety and depression.

"I lost a part of myself when I lost Alexis and Brittany," said Bianca Alvarez, who lives in Milwaukee where the three sisters grew up.

Driver Deanna Lonnell Gilreath, 58, burned to death after a concrete bucket truck heading westbound on SR 129 rear-ended her Jeep Liberty, forcing the Jeep to forward into a vehicle and burst into flames



Hamilton police continue to investigate Friday’s fiery accident on Ohio-129 that killed a longtime nurse at Fort Hamilton Hospital. 58 year old Deanna Gilreath died after her Jeep Liberty was rear-ended by a concrete bucket truck, and burst into flames just east of the Fair Avenue intersection. Gilreath, a Registered Nurse, was employed by Fort Hamilton Hospital for nearly 35 years. She was a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s nursing program. Visitation will be held Wednesday from 5-8pm at Brown, Dawson, and Flick Funeral Home, 1350 Millville Avenue. Funeral services will be held Thursday 10am at St. Peter in Chains Catholic Church on 451 Ridgelawn Avenue. 


==================
HAMILTON, OH (FOX19) -

A 58-year-old Hamilton woman was identified Tuesday as the motorist killed in a fiery Butler County crash Friday.

Donna L. Gilreath was pronounced dead at the scene of the 2:30 p.m. accident on Ohio 129 near Garfield Middle School, according to the Butler County Coroner's Office.

A concrete bucket truck heading westbound on SR 129 rear-ended her Jeep Liberty, forcing the Jeep to forward into a vehicle, Hamilton police said.

Her Jeep burst into flames.

Bystanders were unable to get her out before the vehicle was engulfed.






Deanna Lonnell Gilreath, age 58 of Hamilton, passed away on Friday, October 20, 2017 after she was burned to death when her car was rear-ended. Deanna was born in Corbin, Kentucky on March 23, 1959 to Carl and Doris (Littrell) Pace. On December 31, 1992, she married Daniel Gilreath. She graduated from UC Nursing School with her Registered Nurse Degree and was employed by Ft. Hamilton for almost 35 years. Deanna enjoyed antiquing, dressing everyone in pink, unicorns, decorating, throwing parties, making others happy, reading, gardening, shopping, giving academy award speeches, and most of all, spending time with her family and friends.

Deanna is survived by her husband of 24 years, Daniel Gilreath; her sons, Chad Herold and Ryan Gilreath; her grandchildren; Alexis Herold and Parker Gilreath; her sister, Debbie (Paul) Schmidt (Pace); her uncle, Leland (Glenna) Littrell; her nieces and nephews, Joy (Ryan) Helton, Jenny (Nick) Reumann, Sally (Jordan) Chynoweth, Jeremiah Pace, and Dallinger Pace Jr.; her mother-in-law, Ruth Gilreath; her brothers-in-law, Dave (Dianna) Gilreath and Donald (Pam) Gilreath. Deanna was preceded in death by her son, Robert Gilreath; her brother, Dale; her father-in-law, Ray Gilreath; and her parents.

Carpenter Josue Zurita, 31, dies from Hurricane Harvey-related flesh-eating bacteria infection in Texas














Galveston man dies from Hurricane Harvey-related bacterial infection
Josue Zurita was 31
By Jonathan Martinez - Anchor/Reporter October 23, 2017






HOUSTON, TEXAS- The man who died last week from necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that kills soft tissue, has been identified as Josue Zurita, who was 31.

Friends and family members on Monday provided his name and spoke about his life.

Zurita was a hard-working carpenter by trade who was recently repairing homes in the area following Hurricane Harvey.

“It's unbelievable,” said Brenda Avalos, a family friend. “We still don't accept that he's not here.”

Added another friend, Elizabeth Cortez, “It's sad. He was a really nice person."

Relatives said after getting sick and going to a hospital with a serious infection in his arm, Zurita’s condition quickly turned from bad to worse.

He was soon diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, often referred to as a flesh-eating bacteria.

What is flesh-eating bacteria infection?

According to the Center for Disease Control, the bacteria that Zurita was diagnosed with spreads quickly and destroys the body’s soft tissue.

“To this day, I can't believe what happened to him,” Cortez said.

“It spread up his arm and he went to UTMB on October 10, and unfortunately, despite the efforts of doctors, he died on (Oct. 16),” said Dr. Philip Keiser, with the Galveston County Local Health Authority.

Health officials said it's most likely that Zurita became infected when bacteria from Hurricane Harvey debris or floodwater entered his body through a cut or wound.

“This is a real tragedy,” Keiser said. “He was very unlucky and very unfortunate.”

Added Avalos, “He was always smiling. (He was) so nice to everyone and making friends everywhere.” 


 He seemed to be taking a lot of risks by failing to protect himself from exposure to the environmental and other toxins.  All the pictures show that he was not wearing respiratory and other protective devices.


=====================
GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Galveston man's death last week is being blamed on a flesh-eating bacteria contracted in Hurricane Harvey's floodwater.

Galveston County Health District said the 31-year-old man was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a rare bacterial infection that kills soft tissue. The man died on Oct. 16.

According to health officials, the man recently worked on repairing several homes damaged by Harvey flooding.

This marks another death stemming from a bacterial infection directly from Harvey. Nancy Reed, 77, died after falling in a home contaminated by flood water. Reed had contracted the virus, according to Harris County Medical Examiner's Office.

Another man in Missouri City had a mosquito bite infected as he kayaked through floodwaters. He underwent three surgeries but is on the road to recovery.


Medical officials emphasized proper wound care in preventing infections. They urged people to adhere to the following:

  • Keep open wounds covered with clean, dry bandages until healed.
  • Don't delay first aid of even minor, non-infected wounds (like blisters, scrapes or any break in the skin).
  • Avoid contact with natural bodies of water (lakes, rivers, oceans) if you have an open wound or skin infection.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub if washing is not possible.
  • Seek medical attention for redness, swelling or fever.