By Gene Haagenson
Tuesday, November 21, 2017 12:11AM
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- These are believed to be the first significant injuries on this massive project, which continues to face questions about its financial viability.
The accident occurred Saturday, just north of Fresno at the San Joaquin River crossing next to Highway 99. According to state investigators a tower, made of reinforced steel rods fell over, injuring five workers. Two required hospitalization.
The California Highway Patrol is investigating the cause of the mishap because it occurred on state property. Cal OSHA is investigating the injury aspect.
In a written statement Cal OSHA Communications Director Jeanne Mairie Duvall told Action News: "Rebar collapsed injuring five employees, two of which were hospitalized. DOSH is currently investigating. Cal/OSHA has six months after opening an investigation to issue any citations, if appropriate. Until that time, the case is open and confidential."
The re-bar tower was the framework for concrete supports that will hold tracks over the San Joaquin River. Just one of 17 locations in the 29-mile section where crews are on the job.
Lee Ann Eager said,"There's about 1500 people working on the construction sites and about half of them are from Fresno County."
Lee Ann Eager of the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation notes the project is having a major financial impact on the Central Valley.
"Already just from High-Speed Rail, and construction and people working here they have put in about 3.5 billion dollars into our valley right now."
But the project's finances remain a question for Assembly Member Jim Patterson. He believes recent revelations about additional cost overruns indicate problems, and he is requesting an emergency audit of the High
Speed Rail Authorities books by the state auditors office.
"The question is whether they are going to really complete it and whether they will have a system that works," said Jim Patterson.
While the projects financing and other issues have created political divides over High-Speed Rail, Patterson says he does not want to politicize the recent accident. Saturday's tower collapse is believed to be the first significant workplace accident during three years of construction on California High-Speed Rail.
We have not been told the condition of the two workers who were hospitalized in Saturday's accident. The highway patrol described their injuries as moderate, one may have suffered a fractured back.
Greeley oil field worker dies after gas pipeline fire
November 22, 2017
Davis Bonner/For The Tribune |
A medical helicopter departs the scene of a fire at an oil and gas drilling site where three workers were injured Thursday afternoon. The incident occured just west of the Weld County road 71 and Colo. 392 intersection, 10 miles east of Galeton.
An oil field worker died late Tuesday after sustaining injuries from a gas pipeline fire Thursday afternoon, according to a release from the Weld County Coroner's office.
The worker was identified as 61-year-old George Cottingham of Greeley in the release. Cottingham was transported to North Colorado Medical Center's Burn Center after the fire on a PDC Energy site about 10 miles east of Galeton.
Two others injured in the fire were taken to North Colorado Medical Center, according to Fire Chief James Dilka. No information was released Wednesday about the two others who were injured.
"Preliminary information suggests that this was an industrial accident, and the scene is being turned over to Briggsdale Fire for further investigation," Weld County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sgt. Matt Turner said in a news release.
Though the well site belongs to PDC Energy, the injured workers were doing routine maintenance on a DCP Midstream pipeline. One of the workers was a DCP employee and the other two were contract workers, according to a DCP spokeswoman.
Dilka confirmed a flashover injured the workers and damaged two company trucks. Fire crews had the fire contained within about 15 minutes, according to Dilka.
According to the coroner's release, the final manner and cause of Cottingham's death awaits autopsy and lab results.
Agencies are continuing an investigation of the fire's origin.
PDC Energy is an exploration and production company headquartered in Denver, Colorado focused on value-added organic growth through active horizontal drilling programs and bolt-on acquisitions in its core areas. PDC's operations include production, development, exploration and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (“NGLs”). PDC’s portfolio is comprised of the Wattenberg Field in Colorado, the Delaware Basin in West Texas and the Utica Shale in Ohio. The Company’s total 2016 net production increased approximately 44% year-over-year to 22.2 million barrels of oil equivalent ("MMBoe"), which was derived primarily from the Wattenberg Field, and consisted of 61% crude oil and NGLs, and 39% natural gas.
As of year-end 2016, the Company had proved reserves of 341, million barrels of oil equivalent ("MMBoe"), and owned an interest in approximately 2,900 gross productive wells. PDC has a very large inventory of predictable, high-value horizontal locations in the Wattenberg Field (approximately 1,800) that offer significant organic development and long-term growth opportunities. Additionally, the Company has identified 785 horizontal locations in the Delaware Basin through its recent acquisitions.
What Is the Midstream Industry?
Most natural gas in the U.S. must be processed before it reaches the marketplace (companies) and end-users (people like you). Midstream is the link between natural gas being produced at a wellhead and then filling society’s need for energy and by-products.
Where do we fit in? If you take a hot shower, heat your home or use anything made from rubber, plastics or synthetics, we were part of providing it. If you save on heating or cooling costs through home insulation, we help make it possible. If you have cables running through your home or office, you benefit from the energy we provide.
===============
GREELEY, Colo. — An oil field worker who was among three people injured in a gas pipeline fire last week died Tuesday night, the Weld County Coroner’s Office said.
George Cottingham, 61 of Greeley, was taken to North Colorado Medical Center after the fire about 10 miles east of Galeton on Thursday.
The final manner and cause of his death are awaiting autopsy and laboratory results, the coroner’s office said.
One DCP Midstream employee and two contractors were performing routine maintenance when the fire broke out on a PDC Energy site.
The workers were near a DCP pipeline at the time of the fire. Two company trucks also burned.
The names and conditions of the other two workers have not been released. The cause of the fire remains under investigation
========================
Workers burned at oil site were doing routine maintenance
Posted 9:24 am, November 18, 2017, by Associated Press
Three workers were injured at a Weld County oil site on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017.
GREELEY, Colo. — Authorities say three workers were performing routine maintenance when they were injured in a fire at an oil site in northern Colorado.
The Greeley Tribune reports one DCP Midstream employee and two contractors were burned in the fire east of Galeton on Thursday afternoon. Their names and conditions have not been released.
Briggsdale Fire Chief James Dilka says the workers were near a DCP pipeline when the fire broke out. Two company trucks also were burned.
Investigators have not said what caused the fire, which is being classified as an industrial accident.
The well site is owned by PDC Energy Corp.
==================
WELD COUNTY, Colo. -- Three maintenance workers were hurt at an oil site fire in Weld County on Thursday afternoon.
It happened about 3:30 p.m. in the area of Highway 392 and Weld County Road 71 northeast of Greeley, the Weld County Sheriff's Office said.
Two male patients were airlifted to a hospital and another was taken by ambulance to be treated for various levels of burns, the sheriff's office said.
The conditions of the three workers were not released.
The sheriff's office called it an industrial accident and said the Briggsdale Fire Department was leading the investigation.
Careless disposal of a cigarette ignited a three-alarm fire in a North End apartment building early this morning that killed two men and left 12 other people homeless for Thanksgiving, including a baby, according to authorities.
One man died in a desperate attempt to flee the blaze by jumping from a window at the rear of the building. The second victim was later found in a second-floor apartment, where Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald said it's believed the fire broke out in a bedroom.
"It's unfortunate and it's very, very tragic, especially in the holiday season. It's just tragic," MacDonald said, noting the men were the first to die in a fire in Boston in 2017.
The deadly blaze was reported at 1 a.m. Firefighters arriving to smoke showing immediately set about "escorting several people down the front stairs," MacDonald said.
"A man and a woman and an infant were rescued by Ladder 18's aerial ladder," he said. "But tragically, one resident jumped from the rear of the building."
MacDonald said it was not immediately clear if the fatally injured man died from the fall or the fire.
"The cause of death in both fatalities will be up to the medical examiner," he said.
Scorched brick, shattered glass and blackened awnings greeted pedestrians as dawn broke on Hanover Street this morning above the Trattoria II Panino restaurant.
Larry Leibowitz, who lived in the apartment next to where the fire started, was allowed to go back in his home this morning to pack a tote bag with clothes.
Leibowitz, his eyes welling with tears, said his unit was unscathed, but because the utilities are shut off it could be days before he can return.
Leibowitz was not home when the fatal fire started.
"It's a holiday. This is something you never expect," he said, his voice breaking. "I just feel bad for the victims."
Dianna Breda said she and her husband, who lived on the third floor, are alive today thanks to working smoke alarms and firefighters who put oxygen masks on their faces and walked them to safety.
"I can't express it. We're very, very lucky," Breda said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Breda said she was awoken by fire alarms.
"I heard the fire department come and I said to my husband, there's something. I got out of bed. The smoke was coming inside the house and I said, something's wrong. I said just put on a jacket. The firefighters came and out the masks on and walked us down. I couldn't breathe anymore there was so much smoke."
Breda did not know the men who died.
North End business magnate Frank DePasquale, who owns Panino and 11 other eateries, looked stricken as he stood outside his shuttered restaurant, rain beating down on crews still clearing the damage.
DePasquale is providing temporary housing for the displaced families who need it, even though he does not own the residential portion of the building.
He declined comment, but said in a statement: "A fire started in an apartment in the building above where Trattoria Il Panino is located early this morning. The fire did not impact the restaurant and our hearts go out to the victims and the families who had to encounter the tragedy during this holiday season.
"We are grateful that our staff are all safe and accounted for, but we hurt for the two neighbors and friends who perished. This is no way to start the holiday season, and we will be here to help our neighbors who are affected today.
"The North End is a very special place full of very special people and this news saddens us to the core as we are proud to be part of the community."
MacDonald said the property loss is estimated to be $1.5 million. In addition to the eatery there are eight residential units on floors two through five.
===================
BOSTON (CBS) – Two people are dead and three hurt after a devastating fire in the North End early Wednesday morning.
Flames broke out on the second floor of a 5-story apartment building on Hanover Street around 1 a.m.
A 33-year-old man died after jumping from a top-floor window to escape the fire. Another man was found dead inside a second floor apartment.
“Smoke was coming in my room,” his roommate told reporters. “I got up to ask him why the house was so smoky and he’s like ‘Help me, help me put this out!’ and I started filling up a pan of water and it was just useless, it was fruitless. And I said, ‘Matt we have to go, it’s just too big,’ and I ran out the door and I thought he was coming behind me but he must have still been staying to put the fire out.”
Firefighters rescued a family of three from the apartments on Hanover Street. (WBZ-TV)
The victims names have not been made public.
A mother, father and a three-year-old child were rescued with a ladder truck and rushed to Tufts Medical Center. About 12 residents are now looking for another place to live.
The fire started on the second floor of the building. (WBZ-TV)
Investigators say the fire started because of “careless disposal of smoking material,” later identified as a cigarette, in a second floor bedroom.
The fire department says damage is estimated at $1.5 million.
A restaurant, Trattoria Il Panino, is on the ground floor of the building.
“The fire did not impact the restaurant but our hearts go out to the victims and their families who had to encounter this tragedy during the holiday season,” Maria DeNapoli, a spokesperson for the restaurant, said in a statement Wednesday afternoon.
“We are grateful our staff is all safe and accounted for, but we hurt for our neighbors and friends who perished. This is no way to start the holiday season and we will be here to help our neighbors who were affected today. The North End is a special place full of special people and this news saddens us to our core as we are a proud part of this community.”
According to the state fire marshal, smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths in Massachusetts. In the last decade there have been more than 2,000 smoking-related fires, resulting in 68 deaths, 157 injuries, and more than $90 million worth of property damage
November 21, 2017 12:26 PM
Autopsies were performed on two victims of Monday's deadly fire in Corinth – 39-year-old Tonya Slimmer and her 15-year-old daughter, Briaunna.
The Saratoga County Sheriff's Department says the cause of death was smoke inhalation.
The fire broke out at their home on Main Street.
Two other children, ages 18 months and 3 years, were treated and released from the hospital.
Schools in Corinth are offering bereavement counseling. Brianna was a student there.
NewsChannel 13's media partners at The Post-Star report the fire was caused by smoking.
=================
CORINTH, NY — The fire that killed a mother and her daughter and sent other family members to the hospital Monday was caused by smoking, Corinth Fire Chief Andy Kelley said at the scene Tuesday morning.
Kelley said it is believed the fire was accidentally started by the 15-year-old daughter, Briaunna L. Slimmer, who died in the blaze along with her mother, Tonya L. Slimmer, 39.
According to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the cause of death for both victims was linked to smoke inhalation. Autopsies were performed Tuesday at Saratoga Hospital by Dr. Miachel Sikirica.
After the fire broke out, the teen called downstairs to her mother, but the two were overcome with smoke, Kelley said.
Tonya’s 20-year-old son and two of her children, an 18-month-old and a 3-year-old, were home at the time of the fire. Others were in school when the fire broke out.
Two firefighters rescued the young children, Kelley said. They were transported to Saratoga Hospital, then transferred to Albany Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation and released Monday.
Tonya’s husband, Jerry, was at work at the time of the fire and returned to the scene.
Two smoke detectors were found to be in operation by firefighters, although one was chirping with a low battery. Firefighters found no smoke detector on the second floor, where the fire started, Kelley said.
Donations for the family are being accepted through the Corinth First United Methodist Church. At least 40 volunteers, including Bonnie Bates, the church’s pastor, have been organizing the overflowing amount of donations at the church.
“It just has been amazing,” Bates said. “People just walked in and handed a $100 bill. Everybody wants to help.”
Items in need include toiletries including diapers sizes 3 and 5, toys, plastic storage totes, food and premade meals. Gift cards to Stewart’s Shops, Market 32, local restaurants and cash will be accepted.
According to Sherry Mann, who has helped lead the volunteer effort, they are accepting money to help the family make a payment for a three- or four-bedroom apartment.
Students at Corinth Central School began their morning with a moment of silence for a classmate, 15-year-old sophomore Briaunna, and her mother. Homeroom teachers read a note to the students, telling them to seek counseling if they needed it.
“We’re doing okay. Obviously, it’s been a difficult day,” said Superintendent Mark Stratton, whose schools have five other members of the Slimmmer family enrolled. “I wouldn’t say we have had a lot of students go for counseling but, of course, we did have some students who were a lot more affected than others. We have the counseling center open, and we also have the meeting room open for the staff members who need to talk.”
In a letter to students’ families, Stratton noted Briaunna had been in Corinth schools since kindergarten and was a member of the Leo Club, the chorus and cross-country team.
“She will always be remembered as a polite, hardworking and respectful young lady,” he wrote. “The loss of a student is a difficult and challenging situation that can generate a high level of anxiety and distress in students.”
Sophomore classmate Isabella Mann, who was volunteering at the church Tuesday, said, “She always had a smile on her face and was a beautiful girl.”
Stratton said the school already had an assembly scheduled for Tuesday, the last day of the school week before Thanksgiving.
“That was good timing because it took the kids’ minds off the tragedy,” she said.
Jennifer Parent said she had been friends with Tonya Slimmer for more than two decades.
“She was an amazing person. She didn’t have much as far as material things, but she had a lot of love and a huge heart. She would help anyone that she could,” Parent said in an email. “She and I volunteered at Code Blue (homeless shelter) one season, and her kids rang the bell for the Salvation Army every holiday season. One son raised money every year and donated it to a local animal shelter. She had a tradition that she carried on from her mother who passed away a few years ago from cancer, which was every Christmas Eve she would make stockings and deliver them to the shelters of Saratoga.
“Tonya had a huge heart and she taught her children the same. She was always trying to find things to do with her children to make a difference in the community,” Parent added. “She would take people in to her house if they had no place to go and treat them like family. She really was amazing and I just wish more people really knew her.”
A GoFundMe fundraiser has raised nearly $7,000 as of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. The goal is set at $10,000 to help cover funeral costs.
An account was established Tuesday at Hudson River Community Credit Union under the name Jerry Slimmer Sr. Those wishing to make a donation may do so at any branch during regular business hours, according to CEO Sue Commanda.
A Corinth auction house will also be open to collect items to help the family.
A Hoops for Holidays event scheduled at 3:30 p.m., Nov. 29, will benefit the family.
Pastor Bates said a wake will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church, and funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday.
A prayer vigil for the victims and family is planned at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the corner of Main and Beech streets.
The house was demolished Tuesday morning after being condemned by local officials.
The family was also assisted by The Salvation Army with cots, and the American Red Cross donated money to the family.
Massive gas line explosion leaves 18-foot crater in Orion Township
Hasan Dudar and John Wisely, Detroit Free Press
Novembet 21, 2017
Surveillance camera footage from Checkers on Brown Road of an an explosion from a ruptured gas line in Orion Township near the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets mall on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017.
A ruptured gas line caused a massive explosion and fire in an area of Orion Township near the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets mall on Monday night.
A ruptured gas line caused an explosion and massive fire that left an 18-foot-deep crater in an area of Orion Township near the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets mall on Monday night, authorities say.
A fire was reported shortly after 9:52 p.m., when Consumers Energy noticed a drop in pressure on its gas system, the energy company said in a news release.
Orion Township fire personnel received a 911 call from someone nearby who said there was a gas leak and it sounded like a jet engine, township supervisor Chris Barnett said.
Barnett said that they've had gas main breaks before but nothing of this magnitude. He said the fire — which occurred in an area north of Brown Road near Joslyn Road, near the border with Auburn Hills — had flames 100- to 150-feet wide and up to 200-feet high. The flames could be seen from downtown Detroit, more than 30 miles away.
Emergency personnel work at the site of a ruptured gas line that caused an explosion and fire in Orion Township near the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets mall on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017. (Photo: Romain Blanquart, Detroit Free Press)
"The good news is this is an area that’s soon-to-be developed but not developed yet," Barnett said, adding that the only items near the main break were equipment including flatbed trailers. A Menards store is being developed on the north side of Brown Road, Barnett said.
Residents in the area who were ordered to evacuate their homes were able to return early Tuesday morning, Auburn Hills Police reported on its Twitter account.
Consumers Energy said that the cause of the eruption and fire is under investigation. What officials do know is that a 22-inch diameter steel transmission line ruptured, and that the fire burned itself out after the flow of gas was cut off on either end of a seven-mile section of the transmission line. The gas was shut off by 11:10 p.m. and the fire was out sometime after midnight or 1 a.m., Consumers Energy spokesperson Roger Morgenstern said.
“We inspected the site of the ruptured gas line and surrounding area and found nothing suspicious or unusual relating to an intentional act,” Captain Mel Maier of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said in an e-mail.
Maier said the sheriff’s office was not aware of any injuries directly related to the fire or explosion. The explosion’s blast area encompassed 30 to 40 yards around the crater and exposed about 30 feet of the natural gas line, Maier said.
The section of the pipeline that was isolated stretched from around the scene of the fire to Dixie Highway and M15, said Morgenstern, who described the incident as "uncommon" and said it typically does not happen with transmission lines, which carry gas at a high pressure–this particular one at 600 pounds per square inch.
"This is like the highway for gas transportation and this line is not directly connected to any customers," Morgenstern said. "So we were able to isolate this 22-inch diameter pipe."
The last time there was a transmission line rupture was in July 2016, when a vehicle struck a line at a DTE site on Greenfield Road in Melvindale, said Michigan Public Service Commission spokesman Nick Assendelt, who also said such a rupture is "not common at all," in an email.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Office “Air One” captures video Orion Township gas line explosion site.
The commission investigates pipeline incidents and will be working with Consumers Energy to determine the cause of Monday's incident but can't speculate, Assendelft said.
"But different gas transmission line ruptures around the state in past have been caused by a number of different factors, including outside force, natural force, material or equipment failure, incorrect operations, excavation damage, or corrosion," Assendelft said.
Ed Holm, owner of Orion Stone Wholesale, said the explosion happened near the back of his property, which is 1,400 feet deep on the north side of Brown Road.
He said he received a call late last night from his daughter, who lives nearby. When he got to his business on Brown Road, west of Joslyn, he saw flames shooting 200 to 300 feet in the air.
“I I knew that the pipeline was there, but it’s never been a problem,” he said.
The fire did not damage the building that houses Holm’s business but it destroyed six trailers that he uses to transport stone and other material.
The heat from the fire caused the tires of the trailers to ignite.
“It was so hot that it melted the aluminum on the deck of the trailers,” Holm said.
Holm estimated that the pipeline was about 20 feet below ground level near the back of his property. The property behind his is undeveloped and covered with woods, which caught fire.
Even after fire crews put out the flames from the gas, the trees still lit up the night with embers on their trunks, Holm said.
Natural gas service was not interrupted because of the incident, Consumers Energy said.
Service has been restored to all 911 and 10-digit non-emergency telephone services at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and countywide public safety answering points, according to Maier.
================
ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) -
Schools and roads are open following a massive fire in Orion Township Monday evening. It's almost like nothing ever happened, but the images and sounds will be unforgettable for many.
Witnesses described the explosion and fire near Great Lakes Crossing as sounding like a "jet engine."
The fire near Brown and Joslyn roads could be seen and even heard from miles away.
Consumers Energy says they noticed a drop in the gas pressure about 10 minutes before 10 p.m. A 22-inch diameter steel gas transmission line reportedly ruptured, causing the explosion and fire.
Responders were able to cut off the flow of gas on either end of a 7-mile section of the line, allowing the fire to burn itself out.
Consumers says no customers had service interrupted because of the incident and no injuries were reported.
A spokesperson says what happened was very rare and the cause of the rupture is under investigation.
Lake Orion Schools tweeted that the Oakland County Sheriff's Office says the incident will not affect schools, businesses or other activities.
All 911 and non-emergency 10 digit telephone services at the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and countywide PSAPs were fully restored early this morning following an outage after the fire incident.
Special Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives (ATF) National Response Team, Pennsylvania State Police, and
Chester County Fire Marshal's office have located the remains of two
individuals inside the Barclay Friends Senior Center at 700 North
Franklin Street in West Chester.
Investigators initially located
the remains of the first victim late Tuesday morning and then the second
victim later in the afternoon.
The remains were transported
from the scene by the Chester County Coroner and the families of the
four missing residents were notified.
Investigators are still in
the process of conducting an origin and cause investigation of the fire
and it is expected to continue throughout the Thanksgiving holiday.
A
large crane and other excavating equipment were brought to the scene
and began removing large sections of fire debris early Tuesday morning.
Efforts to locate the two remaining missing residents will continue Wednesday.
"The
thoughts and prayers of the men and women of ATF are with the families
of the victims during this difficult time. Their losses only strengthen
our resolve to provide answers to them as a result of our investigation
of this tragedy," said Special Agent in Charge Donald Robinson.
ATF's
NRT, along with Special Agents from the ATF Philadelphia Field
Division, were activated to respond to the 5-alarm fire at the Barclay
Friends Senior Assisted Living Center.
The fire occurred at approximately 10:45 p.m., November 16.
First
responders from West Chester and surrounding fire departments in the
area arrived on scene shortly after the first call was made to 911,
assisting with the evacuation of approximately 160 residents and staff
members.
The NRT arrived on scene Saturday morning to start
processing the fire scene and determine the origin and cause once the
building was secured and hot spots extinguished.
The fire
investigation is being worked in coordination with the Chester County
District Attorney's Office, Chester County Fire Marshal's Office,
Pennsylvania State Police, West Chester Police Department, Chester
County Sheriff's Office and Chester County Department of Emergency
Services.
=====================
WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania --
At least 20 people have been injured in a massive, multi-alarm fire at a senior living community in Pennsylvania.
The fire was reported just before 11 p.m. Thursday at Barclay Friends on North Franklin Street in West Chester.
The fire quickly spread to multiple buildings and flames could be seen shooting from the roofs and windows of the structures.
Residents were forced to evacuate outside into the cold, with temperatures overnight hovering in the low 40s.
Dozens
of residents were on the lawn or along the street, wrapped in blankets.
Many of them had been pushed in wheelchairs or rolled on beds to
safety.
Chester County emergency officials said at least 20 people were taken to area hospitals for treatment.
WPVI-TV
in Philadelphia is told nine people were taken to Chester County
Hospital and seven were taken to Paoli Memorial Hospital. There was no
immediate word on the conditions of the injured.
A
spokeswoman for Main Line Health, a not-for-profit health system, said
one of its hospitals also was prepared to provide shelter to some
additional residents of the senior living community. According to its
website, Barclay Friends offers various levels of care including memory
care, skilled nursing and post-acute rehab.
Early Friday morning,
the local chapter of the American Red Cross said on Twitter that it had
multiple teams on the scene and that it was working with county
officials and facility staff to assist displaced residents.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
==================
Flames
ripped through a senior living community in Chester County,
Pennsylvania, Thursday night, forcing 140 residents into the cold and
local shelters. About 20 residents were sent to local hospitals.
The
five-alarm fire at the Barclay Friends community on the 700 block of
North Franklin Street in West Chester led staff to evacuate vulnerable
residents on foot, in wheelchairs and even in beds, wrapped in blankets.
A look at the inferno that engulfed Barclay Friends overnight.
Photo credit: Chester County Working Fires
Residents
were triaged on a neighborhood street, then transported to a number of
different shelters on ambulances and school buses.
At an
early-morning news conference, Chester County officials said they
weren't ready yet to confirm the number injured or how serious the
injuries were.
Fire Sweeps Through Pa Senior Living Home
Seniors
were evacuated into 40-degree weather and some were sent to local
hospitals when a 5-alarm fire erupted at a senior living home in West
Chester, Pa. Thursday. NBC10 News' Katy Zachry and Dray Clark
report.(Published Friday, Nov. 17, 2017)
But people at the scene described a frightening rescue from the inferno, which started before 11 p.m. Thursday.
"I'm
just envisioning the elderly people burning in their beds because it
was so massive... before any rescue came," neighbor Scott Baker said.
A look at the smoldering senior-living community Friday morning.
Photo credit: SkyForce10
Firefighters
were still dousing hot spots as smoke continued to rise after daybreak
Friday, even though the inferno was declared under control at 1:22 a.m.
An
employee who was inside the building said staff rushed into residents'
rooms when they realized the scope of the fire and began rushing them to
safety.
Seniors took shelter in places including the Hollinger Field House at West Chester University.
Another
worker, with tears in her eyes, said she was worried about the
residents that she had come to know over three years working at Barclay
Friends.
"It's sad," said Nellie Mingey. "This is their home. A lot of them don't have anywhere to go."
Unhurt
residents were being reunited with friends and family at the nearby
shelters, including at West Chester University. The Red Cross had moved
everyone from the West Chester shelter to specialized health care
facilities and closed the shelter by late morning.
The American
Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania responded to help those
displaced. The Red Cross said its Disaster Mental Health and Spiritual
Care team met with each resident and their families.
"They're
cold, they're scared, they're anxious, they wanted to get out of here,
so we're glad to have gotten them out," registered nurse Noreen Cibley
said.
Neighbors rushed to the scene as well to help comfort
evacuees. One woman who lives within a mile of the scene said she called
a first responder friend as soon as she saw the flames, then rushed
over with donations from Wawa of coffee and water for the overwhelmed
evacuees.
"Everyone seems OK, but they are tired," the neighbor said. "They look really, really exhausted. They've had a long night."
Barclay
Friends, a Kendal Affiliate, is a senior living community that provides
professional nursing staff 24 hours a day, meals and other services,
according to its website.
20+ Injured in Assisted Living Facility
Crews
battled heavy flames at an assisted living facility late Thursday night
into early Friday morning. NBC10's Aaron Baskerville was on
scene.(Published Friday, Nov. 17, 2017)
Firefighters warned
people in the area to expect traffic troubles in the area of Franklin
Street and Goshen Road as roads in the area remained closed Friday as
ATF agents led the investigation into the blaze.
Getting inside
the building was a challenge as part of the building collapsed and smoke
continued to rise from the rubble throughout the morning.
