Firefighter Edward J. Frenenski, an active member of Stanhope Hose Company No. 1, died after he suffered a seizure and cardiac arrest as he took part in a vehicular extrication drill at the Sussex County Public Safety Academy in Frankford, NJ

We regret to pass on that a 31-year-old Stanhope (Sussex Co, N.J. near NYC) Firefighter died Monday evening during a drill at the Sussex County Public Safety Academy in Frankford.

Edward J. Frenenski, an active member of Stanhope Hose Company No. 1, suffered a medical emergency as he took part in a vehicular extrication drill that involved his entire fire department around 2020 hours.

Firefighter Frenenski was in full gear, including his helmet but not his air pack, when he was practicing a simulation of extricating victims from an automobile.

Frenenski had been an active member of the fire department since 2005 and his father, Edward Frenenski, was a former chief of the fire company and is still an active member.


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

Edward J Frenenski

Firefighter Edward J. Frenenski was participating in vehicle extrication training during a fire department drill at the county fire training academy. While performing a practical evolution, he suffered an apparent seizure, and was immediately treated by FD and EMS personnel on scene. He subsequently went into cardiac arrest while being transported to a local hospital, and CPR was initiated. Hospital emergency room staff continued with life-saving measures to no avail. Firefighter Frenenski, a life-saving organ donor at the time of his passing, was pronounced deceased approximately 2.5 hours later. 

Incident Location: 26 Main St., Stanhope, NJ 07874 (U.S. National Grid: 18T WL 2464 2796

Department Information

Stanhope Hose Co 1
26 main street
U.S. National Grid: 18T WL 2464 2796
Stanhope, New Jersey 07874
Chief: Mitchell Ellicott

Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.

Age:	31
Rank:	Firefighter
Classification:	Volunteer
Incident date:	Oct 23, 2017 20:21
Date of death:	Oct 23, 2017
Cause of death:	Other
Nature of death:	Other
Activity type:	Extrication
Emergency duty:	No
Duty type:	Training

 ==================




By Lori Comstock New Jersey Herald
Posted: Oct. 24, 2017 4:50 pm



A 31-year-old Stanhope firefighter died Monday evening during a drill at the Sussex County Public Safety Academy in Frankford, according to officials.

Edward J. Frenenski, an active member of Stanhope Hose Company No. 1, suffered a medical emergency as he took part in a vehicular extrication drill that involved his entire fire department around 8:20 p.m., according to Sussex County Fire Marshal Virgil Rome Jr.

Rome said Frenenski was in full gear, including his helmet but not his air pack, when he was practicing a simulation of extricating victims from an automobile.

The drill, which typically lasts around 2 1/2 hours, according to Rome, began around 7 p.m. at the academy.

Rome said that members of the fire department and emergency medical technicians, who were there for a class, tended to Frenenski after he collapsed before he was taken to the hospital.

Frenenski had been an active member of the fire department since 2005 and his father, Edward Frenenski, was a former chief of the department and is still an active member, according to Rome.

Fire departments participate in drills once a month, Rome said, and have the option of taking part in various drills at the public safety academy when space permits and instructors are available.

Rome, who called the situation truly upsetting and tragic for the family and his fellow firefighters, said that grief counseling has been made available and official reports are in the process of being completed.

Paperwork will be filed to treat the situation as a line-of-duty death, Rome said.

George Graham, county freeholder and resident of Stanhope, did not want to comment on specifics but called Frenenski a "fine young man" and the situation "tragic."

In a joint statement issued on Facebook, the Sussex County Firemen's Association and Rome asked readers that their "thoughts and prayers be with the family at this time."

The post stated that memorial arrangements will be announced when they become available.
==================






Firefighter collapses, dies as he's learning to save others

Updated on October 25, 2017 at 6:46 PM Posted on October 25, 2017 at 12:32 PM
Edward J. Frenenski's fire gear on display in Stanhope (Rob Jennings / NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)



By Rob Jennings

rjennings@njadvancemedia.com,

NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

STANHOPE, NJ -- A 31-year-old firefighter who died during a training drill is being remembered for his lifelong passion for a department that served as a second home since childhood.

Edward J. Frenenski was practicing how to pull victims from vehicles at the Sussex County Public Safety Academy in Frankford on Monday night when he suffered a cardiac event and collapsed, authorities said.
Memorial bunting honors Edward Frenenski at his Stanhope firehouse

He was taken to Newton Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

A makeshift memorial to Frenenski, featuring the gear he was wearing during the drill, was assembled Wednesday morning on a table at the Stanhope Hose Co. No. 1 building on Main Street.

Chief Mitch Ellicott, a 28-year member, recalled Frenenski as a young boy visiting the fire house with his father, a former fire chief and current volunteer who is also named Edward.

"As he got older, he started to get a passion for being a firefighter," Ellicott said.

Frenenski, who joined his hometown fire company in 2005, is the first Stanhope firefighter since 1991 to die in the line of duty.

On Monday night, Frenenski -- friends called him "Bear" -- was taking part in what began as a routine drill at the fire academy.

"They started the class. He was stabilizing the vehicle. That's basically when all hell broke loose," said Ellicott, who was not taking part in the drill but was nearby.

Ellicott said fellow firefighters and EMTs rushed to aid Frenenski.

"He had a lot of people caring for him," Ellicott said.

Hugh Matlack, a firefighter and the company's chaplain, was with Ellicott at the fire house on Wednesday morning.

"We're so shocked. Someone who was 31 years old and had his whole life ahead of him," Matlack said.

Frenenski, who was single, is survived by his parents, Edward and Donna Frenenski, and a brother, Andrew Frenenski of Austin, Tex., according to his obituary.

Funeral services on Saturday will include a procession to the fire house building.

Iconic Bridget Foy's restaurant was torn down on Wednesday afternoon following a massive fire that left the establishment in ruins in South Street in Philadelphia; grease fire to blame?

QUEEN VILLAGE (WPVI) --

A popular South Street restaurant was torn down on Wednesday afternoon following a fire that left the establishment in ruins.

The remains of Bridget Foy's were in danger of collapsing, authorities said, preventing investigators from getting into the basement to continue their search for a cause.

Neighbors and regulars watched helplessly as the building came down.

"This was our spot, this was our 'Cheers,'" said Cheryl Henderson. "It's the family."

Bridget Foy herself, whose father opened the business in 1978, was at the scene to console regulars and watch the demolition of the family business.

The fire began around 1:15 a.m. and more than 100 firefighters responded to the scene.
They arrived to find heavy smoke in the basement and that smoke could be seen from blocks away.

"I parked my car, was able to look and see smoke coming everywhere," said cab driver Simon Mrebti.

"There was smoke billowing out all the windows," said Mike Wagner.

The restaurant closes at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays and was shut down at the time of the fire. Officials tell Action News there was no one inside the restaurant when the fire began.

Firefighters began with an interior attack on the flames but had to pull out of the building because the situation became too dangerous inside.

Crews then worked to contain the flames from spreading to surrounding buildings, but some were still filled with smoke and water.

The fire was placed under control around 4 a.m. but flare-ups continued long afterward.

Passersby were stunned at the damage to this beloved neighborhood staple.
"I'm literally at a loss for words," said Seember Ityokumbul.

"It's a place that's been there, an icon on the corner since God knows how long. To see it like this is pretty bad," said Sam Paul.

"It's just a shock. This place has been around for so long, I don't know what's going to happen without it," said Leeanne Andrijischym.
Three firefighters were taken to the hospital as a precaution.

The Red Cross is assisting those affected the fire.

Red Paw Relief said two dogs from a nearby groomer's died due to the fire.

South Street Headhouse District released the following statement on Facebook:

Early this morning a fire ripped through the corner of 2nd & South Street devastating the iconic Bridget Foy's restaurant and severely damaging Doggie Style Pet Store next door.

Our hearts go out to John, Bernadette, Bridget, Paul and the entire Foy family. Bridget Foy's has been the cornerstone of South Street for 40 years and a vital part of our colorful and vibrant South Street story - and an important part of Philadelphia's history. Families from around the city, region, and country have come through Foy's doors to find a wonderfully warm welcome and exceptional hospitality from this beloved family (and their staff). Foy's is a special tradition for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter and so many other special occasions.

Please keep the family and staff in your thoughts - as well as Howard Nelson and staff of Doggie Style, and those displaced in neighboring apartments.

Our sincere thanks for all the first responders and the city's defenders for their efforts to contain the fire and keep our neighborhood safe.

Please stay tuned for updates about how we can support the Foy's, Howard at the Pet Store, and anyone else affected.


Such massive restaurant fires typically occur from grease burning in the exhaust hood piping.  Lack of maintenance is the typical culprit.

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

October 25, 2017--

Bridget Foy's restaurant, a fixture on Philadelphia's South Street for nearly 40 years, went up in flames in a 2-alarm fire early Wednesday.

The fire apparently started in the basement and spread quickly through the building at South 2d Street on Headhouse Square.

At least one firefighter reportedly required treatment for a non-life threatening injury.

Firefighters were called to the restaurant about 1:30 a.m. and battled for more than two hours before it was declared under control at 3:51 a.m. They remained at the scene through the morning, pouring water on the smoking structure.

Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said firefighters started an interior attack on the fire but had to abandon the building because of the danger of a ceiling collapse.

"It was too dangerous to stay," Thiel said.

Firefighting efforts then shifted to putting out the blaze from outside and protecting adjoining structures, he said.

The restaurant was closed when the fire broke out and investigators who are trying to determine the cause of the blaze were speaking to, and seeking, witnesses who might help them in their work, Thiel said.

Eleven residents reportedly have been displaced by the fire and two dogs inside Doggy Style, an adjoining groomer's shop, died from smoke inhalation, officials said.

John Foy opened the restaurant in February 1978 under the name East Philly Cafe, but renamed it after his daughter Bridget when she was born in 1982. The current fare includes fish tacos, burgers, wings, meatloaf sliders, mussels, steak, chicken and mac and cheese.

Restaurant regulars, Alan Romisher, 60, and his fiancee, Sheri Fogel, 55, stood outside the smoldering building where they had had many meals and drinks over the years.

"We are just heartbroken and we hope to see them come back stronger," said Romisher, who lives nearby. "It was like an extension of our family."

"Lovely family," Fogel said of the Foys.

 

Gordon Fuller, the former chief operating officer of the Morristown and Erie Railway Inc. (M&E), was found guilty by a Morris County jury of charges of conspiracy, insurance fraud, attempted theft by deception and falsifying or tampering with records

MORRISTOWN, NJ - A 76-year-old Plainfield man, a former executive of a Morristown-based freight railway company, was convicted Tuesday of attempting to steal more than $75,000 by falsely inflating an insurance claim that the company filed in connection with damage to a railroad switch caused by a truck accident in 2005.

Gordon Fuller, the former chief operating officer of the Morristown and Erie Railway Inc. (M&E), was found guilty by a Morris County jury of charges of conspiracy, insurance fraud, attempted theft by deception and falsifying or tampering with records. Fuller is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 30.

The charges stemmed from an investigation by the state Attorney General's Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau, which also resulted in a second indictment charging Fuller and a former project manager for M&E, Willard Phillips, 65, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, with defrauding the New Jersey Department of Transportation of over $800,000 by submitting false claims for grant funds for work on railway improvements that was never performed. The charges are pending.

The state presented testimony and evidence at trial that Fuller, as chief operating officer, had M&E submit a fraudulently inflated claim and false supporting documents to New Jersey Manufacturers in connection with an accident on March 4, 2005, in which a truck went off the road in a snowstorm and became stuck on a railroad switch on tracks owned by M&E in Morristown. New Jersey Manufacturers was the insurance company for the paper company that owned the truck involved in the accident.

The initial invoice prepared by M&E for the damaged switch was for $29,000, but Fuller ordered that the invoice be falsely inflated prior to submission to the insurer.

Ultimately, M&E submitted a fraudulent invoice for $144,307 to New Jersey Manufacturers.

At Fuller’s direction, employees of M&E reported to New Jersey Manufacturers that initial repairs on the switch were ineffective and caused a train derailment resulting in the need for additional repairs. Those reports were false.

In reality, little damage was caused by the truck and there was no derailment.

The work orders submitted by M&E in support of the claim listed work performed by M&E employees on the damaged switch, but some of the listed employees told investigators they did not work on the switch on the dates in question, while others were no longer even with the company at the time. The insurance company learned of the fraud, denied the claim and alerted the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. The prosecutor’s office conducted an initial investigation and referred the case to the Attorney General’s Office.

Kim Bogan, a 30-year employee of Brick Township and daughter of a former corrupt Brick Township mayor Joseph Scarpelli, pleaded guilty to theft by deception, admitting she stole $941,354 from the town by submitting false chiropractic claims over seven years

Town worker admits $940K insurance fraud through her brother's practice

Updated on October 24, 2017



BRICK, NJ -- The daughter of a former Brick Township mayor admitted to submitting nearly $1 million in fake insurance claims for chiropractic services from her brother, who leaped to his death with his wife from a Manhattan building this summer.

Kim Bogan, a 30-year employee of Brick Township, pleaded guilty in Superior Court in Ocean County on Tuesday to a single count of theft by deception, admitting she stole $941,354 from the town by submitting false chiropractic claims over seven years, the state Attorney General's Office said.

Bogan, 52, admitted she submitted claims for chiropractic services from her brother, Glenn Scarpelli, between January 2011 and August 2017, but had never actually received those services, Brick Mayor John Ducey said.

Scarpelli and Bogan are the children of former Brick mayor Joseph Scarpelli, who was sentenced in 2007 to 18 months in federal prison and fined $5,000 for taking bribes in exchange for helping a developer gain approval for construction projects.

Glenn Scarpelli and his wife Patricia Colant in July jumped from the ninth floor of a Madison Avenue building in New York City where Scarpelli had his chiropractic office.

The New York Post at the time reported sources described the couple as deeply in debt.

Ducey said the theft came to light in August when township administrator Joanne Bergin noticed during a review that one employee had an "unusual" amount of claims for chiropractic services from a provider in New York City.

After discovering the activity, township officials notified Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield - the administrator of its program - and fired Bogan, Ducey said. Hired in 1987, Bogan worked in various positions for the township and was most recently in the building department.

Because the township is self-insured, it conducts reviews of claims every six months to anticipate future insurance expenses, the mayor said.

Bogan is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 2, when prosecutors will recommend she serve a five-year prison term, according to Attorney General Christopher Porrino. She will be required to pay the money back to the township, he said.

"The defendant allowed the practitioner to submit claims in her name for services never rendered, and endorsed the insurance checks when they were mailed to her, knowing the money was stolen," Porrino said. "What's even more disturbing is that she went along with the scheme knowing that the taxpayers of Brick Township - her friends and neighbors -would be responsible for picking up the tab for the bogus claims."



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



He may be angry, hurt and filled with more questions than answers — but it doesn’t take away his love.

The son of the financially strapped couple who jumped to their deaths in Manhattan last week admitted Thursday he was “angry” at them for ending their lives, though he will remember them fondly.

“Mama and papa, I want you to know that I am angry,” Joseph Scarpelli, 19, said of Patricia Colant and Glenn Scarpelli at The Church of St. Ignatius Loyola on the Upper East Side.

Couple who jumped to death advised son on coping with loss


“But my anger will never be greater than my unconditional love for you both.”

The somber ceremony began with a tearful rendition of “Amazing Grace” as grieving attendees dabbed their eyes and sang through their tears, some choking out loud sobs.

The church was packed with family members, friends, colleagues, patients and many others who were touched by the couple, who ran a chiropractors office on Madison Avenue for years.

“Last Friday, two of Gods disciples, caring, generous servants, [left us],” Joseph said to the crowd of mourners with his older sister Isabella, 20, standing next to him.

“They made a mistake but that decision [doesn’t undermine] the son or the daughter, the brother or the sister, the uncle or the aunt, the footballer or the beautiful artist, the mother and father [they were].”

The couple committed suicide Friday around 5:45 a.m. from the ninth floor of the Madison Avenue building where they both worked. They blamed it on a “financial spiral” in a grim note entitled, “WE HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE.”

Joseph spoke first of his mother, who he called a “selfless volunteer” and “strong woman.”

“My mommy, my mommy, my beautiful mommy,” the teen said, gripping the podium and raising his voice.

“The most beautiful woman I have ever met in my life.

“Patricia was a creator at heart. She made a business, drawings, paintings, watches, clothing, all beautiful, but none as beautiful as my sister, Bella,” Joseph said warmly, putting an arm around his sister.

He spoke of his father next, referring to him as “my pops” and “my old man.”

“He was a bull on the outside but a teddy bear on the inside,” Joseph said, drawing wet smiles from the crowd.

He talked about his father’s capacity to heal the sick and the incredible work he did as a chiropractor and volunteer.

“God’s grace transferred through his hands,” the heartbroken son said.

He spoke directly to his parents as if they were there in the room with him, listening to his words.

“You two were the greatest parents a son could ask for, we had the perfect family, we were so close.

“You gave me the best 19 years of my life.”

Throughout the eulogy, Joseph remained strong and upbeat and did not breakdown once, even while mentioning how terrible his parent’s loss of life is.

“I want everyone to know that this is a tragedy, I assure, but it is not as much as a tragedy as a tragic loss.”

He concluded the ceremony with the same quote he told his classmates at Loyola High School in a morning assembly speech in March 2016 on his parent’s advice for coping with loss.

“My parents told me over and over again, I could wake up tomorrow and have every single possession taken from me, I could stand to lose everyone I love, but no one could ever take away my faith,” Jospeh recited.

“I love you mama, I love you papa. Thank you.”



For us, no tears for corrupt thugs.

Jeffrey Neely, 49, a captain with the Nashville Fire Department was indicted and arrested on charges of arson and insurance fraud

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--A captain with the Metro Nashville Fire Department was arrested for arson and insurance fraud.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says the agency and Tennessee Fire Investigation Service launched an investigation into Jeffrey Neely on Sept. 7.

The investigation surrounded a fire two days prior which took place at Neely's home located at 1055 White Bluff Road. It was determined the 49-year-old man intentionally set the fire to his home.



Last week, a Grand Jury returned an indictment for arson and insurance fraud, leading to his arrest on Tuesday. Neely is being held at the Dickson County Jail on $50,000 bond.

"The Nashville Fire Department was made aware of the indictment of Captain Jeffrey Neely on Wednesday afternoon," the NFD said in a statement. "Per departmental policy, NFD administration placed Captain Neely on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. We will have no further comment about the criminal investigation at this time."


Here some info on the defendant:

Intro

• Works at Nashville Fire Department
• Studied at Volunteer State Community College Alumni & Friends
• Went to John Overton High School
• Lives in White Bluff, Tennessee
• From Nashville, Tennessee

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



NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A captain with the Nashville Fire Department was indicted and arrested on charges of arson and insurance fraud.

Jeffrey Neely was indicted on Oct. 18 and booked into the into the Dickson County jail on Oct. 24, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. (Photo: WKRN)

The TBI began investigating two days after a Sept. 5 fire at Neely’s home on White Bluff Road in White Bluff, Tennessee. At the time, it was reported the fire began while he was cooking bacon.

According to a press release, an investigation revealed the fire was intentionally set by the 48-year-old.

The fire department’s spokesman, Joseph Pleasant, issued the following statement after Neely’s arrest was announced:


The Nashville Fire Department was made aware of the indictment of Captain Jeffrey Neely on Wednesday afternoon. Per departmental policy, NFD administration placed Captain Neely on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. We will have no further comment about the criminal investigation at this time.

Neely remains in jail on $50,000 bond. No further details have been released at this time.




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






Fire at Dickson County home rekindles Tuesday

WKRN web staff 
September 6, 2016



(Photo: WKRN)

WHITE BLUFF, Tenn. (WKRN) – A Nashville Fire Department captain’s home caught fire Monday and reignited Tuesday.

The Dickson County home caught fire when Capt. Jeff Neely, a 26-year veteran of the fire department, was cooking bacon for his dogs around 10 a.m.

The captain had a fire extinguisher in the kitchen but it was located underneath the fire and he could not reach it.

He tried to put the fire out with a hose before fire crews arrived but could not contain the flames.

Crews battled the flames for several hours Monday, eventually extinguishing it.

A passerby noticed smoke and flames Tuesday around 5:20 a.m. in the same place and called 911.

Fire crews extinguished the rekindled fire.

Ernest Stark of Arlington, WA, the pilot of a Robinson R-22 helicopter that crashed into a Snohomish County lake (King Lake) in Washington State has died

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed the identification and completed the examination of the 70-year old male who was involved in a helicopter crash at King Lake in Arlington, WA on October 24, 2017. The decedent is

Ernest Stark of Arlington, WA. The cause of death is drowning. The manner of

death is Accident.

ARLINGTON, Wash. - The pilot of a helicopter that crashed into a Snohomish County lake has died, according to a family friend.


The pilot and his passenger were rescued after the chopper lost altitude soon after taking off Tuesday afternoon and plunged into King Lake, about five miles southwest of Arlington.

The passenger was swimming toward a log after the crash and was pulled from the water by a local resident with a boat. The pilot was found floating face-down in the water.

Both were taken to a local hospital, where the passenger was listed in serious condition and the pilot was listed in critical condition.

The pilot later died, a family friend told KOMO News. His name has not yet been officially released. The family friend says he was 70 years old.


The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office said it got reports that the helicopter had been up for 60 to 90 seconds when witnesses heard unusual noises.


Jeffrey Abrams told KOMO News that he watched the helicopter fly 6 to 10 feet above King Lake. Then the skids hit the lake, and the helicopter nose dived into the water, he said.

He asked his wife to call 911 and ran to get his oars for his small boat, but the helicopter had already gone under. He reached both men and was bringing them both to shore when emergency crews arrived and began CPR on the pilot.

There is no word yet what led up to the crash.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.


 ==========================
GRANITE FALLS, Wash. 
 
Authorities say two men were injured in a helicopter crash northeast of Everett near Granite Falls.

The helicopter crashed just after 1 p.m. Tuesday into King Lake, a remote body of water in the woods east of Arlington.

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office says the helicopter was airborne for about a minute when neighbors said they heard a loud bang and called 911. Turned out the helicopter had crashed into the lake; firefighters and a dive team responded to the scene.

"It was a significantly loud bang, almost like an explosion. There was no fire or anything," said Dr. Jeffrey Abrams, a neighbor who rushed to the scene.

Abrams immediately launched his small boat and pulled the pilot from the water. The passenger was able swim to and grab onto the boat, and the neighbor pulled him to shore.

"I was there pretty quickly, about 7-10 minutes," said Abrams. "By the time I got the boat into the water and so forth, fairly hopeful that we could save them both. I don't know. That's up to the man upstairs."

Both pilot and passenger were taken to local hospitals; the passenger was reportedly in serious, but stable condition. The pilot was in critical condition.

The helicopter was an R-22, a two-seat helicopter.

Witness say the particular helicopter flies over the lake a couple times a year. They said it appeared the skid, which is underneath the helicopter, caught the water and flipped over.

NTSB is on scene and investigating, as well as the Department of Ecology to evaluate if any fuel spills.





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


2 men injured in helicopter crash near Granite Falls


The Associated Press



October 24, 2017 6:22 PM
GRANITE FALLS, Wash.



Authorities say two men were injured in a helicopter crash northeast of Everett near Granite Falls.

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Office says the helicopter crashed just after 1 p.m. Tuesday into King Lake.

The sheriff's office says the helicopter was airborne for 60 to 90 seconds when neighbors heard "strange sounds" and called 911. The helicopter then crashed into the lake. The passenger was able to swim to the shore and the pilot was rescued by a neighbor.

The sheriff's office says the pilot was in critical condition and a passenger was in serious, but stable condition. Both were taken to a hospital.
=====================


ARLINGTON, WA — A helicopter crashed into a lake south of Arlington on Tuesday, sending two men to the hospital.

The pilot was in critical condition, said spokeswoman Courtney O’Keefe with the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.

A passenger had serious injuries but was expected to survive.

Neighbors living near King Lake, a remote body of water in the woods east of Jordan Road north of Granite Falls, heard a strange noise around 1 p.m. as the helicopter took off. It was airborne for only about a minute, O’Keefe said.

Jeffrey Abrams saw the helicopter fly over the trees and across the water.

The private pilot regularly flies in the area, he said. Sometimes he will slow down and hover over the lake. This time, he was moving fast.

The helicopter flew unusually low. Abrams saw the skids hit the water, and the entire aircraft dove in.

“It was a significantly loud bang, almost like an explosion,” he said.

The injured passenger was able to swim away from the wreckage. However, the pilot was unconscious in the middle of the lake, Abrams said.

Abrams’ wife, Lillie, called 911 while he snagged life jackets and oars from their shed. He climbed into a dinghy and rowed out to the injured pilot. At that point, the helicopter was completely submerged.

Abrams was able to help both men back to shore.

Tuesday wasn’t the first time the couple has called for help after someone found themselves in trouble on the lake. Last year, a man in his 50s drowned after his canoe overturned.

The Department of Ecology sent crews to evaluate any fuel spills from Tuesday’s crash. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating what caused the wreck.

Photographer Ian Terry contributed to this story.

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

Aircraft Description
Serial Number	0441	Certificate Issue Date	04/08/1999
Manufacturer Name	ROBINSON HELICOPTER	Mode S Code (base 8 / oct)	52732723
Model	R22 ALPHA	Mode S Code (base 16 / hex)	ABB5D3
Year Manufacturer	1984	Cancel Date	05/15/2015
Reason for Cancellation	Expiration	Export To	None
Type Registration	Individual
Aircraft Registration prior to Deregistration
Name	STARK ERNEST N
Street	16411 JORDAN RD
City	ARLINGTON
State	WASHINGTON	Zip Code	98223-5836
County	SNOHOMISH
Country	UNITED STATES
Deregistered Airworthiness
Engine Manufacturer	LYCOMING	Classification	Standard
Engine Model	41508	Category	Normal
A/W Date	10/01/1984

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

Date:	24-OCT-2017
Time:	13:15 LT
Type:	Robinson R-22
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N8537J
C/n / msn:	0441
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Airplane damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	King Lake, east of Arlington; WA -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The helicopter crashed into the lake. The pilot died at hospital, the passenger was in serious condition.
The Sheriff's Office said it got reports that the helicopter had been up for 60 to 90 seconds when witnesses heard unusual noises.

Sources:

http://www.king5.com/news/local/helicopter-crashes-in-arlington/485703708
http://newschannel20.com/news/nation-world/two-injured-after-helicopter-crashes-into-lake
http://www.kiro7.com/news/north-sound-news/helicopter-crashes-at-king-lake-near-arlington/629389799
_____________________
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N8537J
http://www.asias.faa.gov/pls/apex/f?p=100:96:9365507570087::::P96_ENTRY_DATE,P96_MAKE_NAME,P96_FATAL_FLG:25-OCT-17,ROBINSON
https://hiveminer.com/Tags/1984,hawg/Recent
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/16411+Jordan+Rd,+Arlington,+WA+98223/King+Lake,+Washington+98223/@48.1451935,-122.0189141,16z/data=!3m1!1e3!4m8!4m7!1m2!1m1!1s0x54854c2813294c69:0xc823b443cb896ca6!1m2!1m1!1s0x54854c1f467ac5ff:0xb5edc95d93442832!3e0?hl=en-us