Vails Gate Fire Department: an accident caused the explosions at Verla International cosmetics factory that killed worker William Huntington, 57, of Newburgh and injured more than 125 people Monday morning.

Fire Officials Believe Accident Led to Deadly Explosions, Fire at NY Cosmetics Plant
Authorities announced Monday night that the body of a male employee had been found inside the factory

A local official in New Windsor said two explosions rocked Verla International in Orange County on Monday

Thirty-three people were hurt, including firefighters; one worker at Verla International was later found dead inside

The company produces nail polish and cosmetics, among other beauty products, according to its website

Fire officials say they believe an accident caused the explosions at an Upstate cosmetics factory that killed one man and injured more than 125 people Monday morning.

The Vails Gate Fire Department said Friday morning that an investigation is ongoing, but the cause of the explosions and fire is believed to be accidental.

Orange County fire investigators have been looking for clues to what touched off two explosions about 25 minutes apart at Verla International in New Windsor, 55 miles north of New York City. Some of the cosmetics manufacturer's approximately 250 employees lined up outside the fire-damaged plant to pick up personal belongings left behind when they scrambled to get out after the first blast erupted around 10:15 a.m.

Firefighters from nearby Newburgh responded, and several were inside the facility when the second explosion ripped through part of the complex. Officials initially said up to 35 people were injured, including seven firefighters, and one person was unaccounted for.

Worker Killed in New York Plant Explosion
The body of a worker was discovered inside Verla International plant after a pair of explosions rocked the facility. (Published Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017)

Kate Dabroski, a spokeswoman for St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital, said Tuesday that the number of people treated increased substantially later Monday, with more than 125 people reporting injuries. Most were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released.

Also on Tuesday officials identified the deceased worker as William Huntington, 57, of Newburgh. Firefighters found his body inside the building about nine hours after the explosions, police said.

"Bill was a valued employee and we at Verla are sorry to his friends and his family for their loss," the company said.

A co-worker, Juan Pablo Marcos, told The Associated Press that Huntington had gone back inside after the first explosion to make sure everyone had gotten out safely. Huntington was still inside when the second blast occurred, Marcos said.

"That guy is like a hero," said Marcos, employed in the shipping department for about a month. "He entered again to make sure no more ladies were in the building."

The explosions sent thick black smoke spewing into the air while flames shot out of the damaged section of the factory's roof. More than 100 firefighters from across the county and from neighboring counties fought the blaze, and authorities said their efforts continued until just after midnight Monday.

Twin Explosions Rock NY Manufacturing Plant

A pair of explosions rocked a gigantic cosmetics manufacturing plant in New York's Orange County Monday, injuring nearly three dozen people and spewing thick plumes of noxious black smoke from the roof and the blasted-out sides of the building, according to authorities and footage posted to social media. Ida Siegal and Jen Maxfield report.(Published Monday, Nov. 20, 2017)

Police kept non-employees away from the factory Tuesday while utility crews worked on the property.

The 37-year-old company's website says it manufactures and packages nail polish, cosmetics, personal care, lotions and fragrances. Earlier this year, Verla was cited for nine occupational safety violations, according to records on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's website. One was related to problems with the handling of flammable and combustible liquids.

The federal agency also cited inadequacies relating to respirator protection for workers and the maintenance of exit routes. The company agreed to pay $41,000 in penalties.

In late September 2005, a worker who had been fired a year earlier after being found with child pornography on his company computer entered the factory and fatally shot the office manager and wounded co-owners Mario Maffei and Robert Roth. The gunman then killed himself.

A woman answering the phone at Maffei's Greenwich, Connecticut, home said he wasn't available. A voice message left at a number listed for Roth wasn't returned.





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



NEW WINDSOR, N.Y. (AP) — The Latest on the explosions and fire at an upstate New York cosmetics factory that killed one person and injured more than 125 others (all times local):

2:15 p.m.

A New York cosmetics factory employee who survived a workplace explosion says a co-worker was killed by a second blast that occurred after he had gone back inside to make sure everyone had evacuated.

Juan Pablo Marcos says he was in a different part of the factory when the first explosion tore through Verla International on Monday morning. He says workers began running and screaming for everyone to get out.

Marcos says an employee went back inside the New Windsor complex to see if anyone was left behind when a second explosion occurred about 25 minutes later. Police later identified him as 57-year-old William Huntington, of nearby Newburgh.



More than 125 people were injured, including seven firefighters who were inside when the second blast erupted.



12:14 p.m.

Officials say the number of people treated for injuries after two explosions and a fire at an upstate New York cosmetics factory has topped 125.

Firefighters work at the scene of a factory fire in New Windsor, N.Y., Monday, Nov. 20, 2017. Authorities say two explosions and a fire at the Verla International cosmetics factory in the Hudson Valley about an hour north of New York City have left multiple people injured, including firefighters caught in the second blast. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Authorities initially said one employee was killed and up to 35 people were injured, including seven firefighters. The blasts erupted Monday morning inside the Verla International plant in New Windsor, 55 miles (88 kilometers) north of New York City.

A spokeswoman for St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital said Tuesday that the number of people treated increased substantially later Monday, with more than 125 people reporting injuries. Most were treated for non-life-threatening injuries and released.

The deceased worker was identified Tuesday as 57-year-old William Huntington, of nearby Newburgh.

State and local authorities are trying to determine what triggered the blasts.

Justin Cruea, an employee for the Knife River contractor, died as he was changing a wiper blade on a truck when he fell between the bumper and a tire at the Knife River industrial site in Billings, Montana and died of positional asphyxia

BILLINGS, MONTANA

The man who died Tuesday night at the Knife River industrial site in Billings has been identified as Justin Cruea of Laurel.

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder said that Cruea was 28 years old.

In a press release, Linder said that Cruea, an employee for the contractor, was apparently working on a truck when he fell between the bumper and a tire.

His position after the fall likely made it difficult for him to breathe, and the preliminary cause of death is positional asphyxia, Linder said.

A medical examiner is awaiting test results to determine if any other factors are involved, and Linder said investigators found no evidence of foul play.

Tony Spilde, senior public relations representative for Knife River, said Cruea was changing a wiper blade on the truck when the accident happened, and it is a tragic loss for the company.

He said Cruea was changing a wiper blade on a company truck, and was sitting up against the side of the truck when he was discovered by his coworkers.

"There were no immediate signs of a fall, trauma or being trapped against the vehicle, and authorities continue to investigate," Spilde said in a press release.

The federal Occupational Safety & Health Administration has requested copies of the investigation into the incident, which likely means the agency is starting its own investigation, according to Linder.

The Montana Department of Labor & Industry referred questions to OSHA, and MTN has tried to contact the federal agency.

In a Facebook post, Cruea's sister-in-law, Charity Watkins, wrote that Cruea left behind a wife, Tabitha, a 3-year-old son, Colt, and two foster children.

"Justin supported and loved his family more than anything, taking care of his wife and children always came first," she wrote.

Cruea's family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral costs.


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



Knife River issues statement on employee death at Billings West End facility 


November 22, 2017
By Q2 News

Following the death of an employee at one of its facilities Tuesday night, Knife River released a statement Wednesday morning.

Tony Spilde, senior public relations representative for Knife River said it is a tragic loss for the company.

He said the team member was changing a wiper blade on a company truck, and was sitting up against the side of the truck when he was discovered by his coworkers.

"There were no immediate signs of a fall, trauma or being trapped against the vehicle, and authorities continue to investigate," Spilde said in a statement.

Out of respect for the man's family and the investigation, Spilde said the employee's name will not be released at this time, but did ask the public to think about the man's family during this terrible time.

Deputies with the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office responded to an emergency call Tuesday around 5:20 p.m. at the Knife River facility on Hesper Road.

An ambulance was called, but Sheriff Mike Linder said he was unsure if the man died at the scene or at the hospital.

Knife River is one of the area's largest contractors.  
Knife River is a Top 10 aggregate producer in the United States.

____________________________________________

BILLINGS, MT - A man is dead following an accident at Knife River on Billings West End, Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder said Tuesday night.

Police responded to a 911 call about 5:20 p.m. that a man was injured on Hesper Road at Knife River, one of the area's largest contractors. An ambulance was called, but Linder said he was uncertain if the man died at the scene or at the hospital.

An investigation is continuing into the incident, and a deputy coroner was en route Tuesday night, Linder said. Q2 has sent a message seeking comment to Bismarck, N.D.-based Knife River and is awaiting a response.

Electrical Contractor José Ángel Zadezensky Cabrera, 72, owner of the Ventraco Corporation, succumbed to his burn injuries after an explosion at the Whitehall Houston hotel in downtown Houston, Texas

Electrical contractor José Ángel Zadezensky Cabrera, 72, owner of the Ventraco Corporation, succumbed to his burn injuries after an explosion at the Whitehall Houston hotel in downtown Houston, Texas

HOUSTON, TEXAS

Harris County medical examiners on Wednesday confirmed that a contractor injured in an explosion at the Whitehall Houston hotel in downtown last Friday died Sunday in a hospital.

Jose Zadezensky, 40, was one of two contractors hospitalized with burns Friday afternoon after an explosion in the basement electrical room caused by a circuit breaker.

The cause of Zadezensky's death, as well as the details of the accident, are still under investigation by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences.


He was the owner of the Ventraco Corporation, an appliance repair business based in Spring, according to his LinkedIn profile. It is unclear if Ventraco was the company working at the Whitehall.



Zadezensky's family declined to comment.

Houston Fire Department Deputy Chief Blake C. White told the Chronicle on Friday that the blast was caused by a transformer explosion in the basement electrical room.

"The information we have today is the same as was reported on Friday," said firefighter Kenyatta Parker, HFD's public information officer. "The cause was the switching of the breaker — that's what caused the explosion."

A statement on the hotel's website says it will be closed and without power for repairs until Nov. 21 due to Friday's incident.

Sotherly Hotels, the management company that owns the Whitehall, and Stasny did not respond to requests for a request comment.


José Ángel Zadezensky Cabrera
1944-2017
José Ángel Zadezensky Cabrera tragically passed away on Sunday, November 12, 2017, two days shy of his 73rd birthday. He was known by everyone as a kind, gentle and sincere man who had an unbelievable passion for life and a deep love for his wife Miriam and his family.
Born in Trinidad and Tobago on November 14, 1944, José spent his childhood and adolescence in Venezuela, where he graduated high school. He attended college in the United States and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Science and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tulsa in 1970. Post-graduation, he returned to work in Venezuela where his degree and experience was greatly needed. He came back to the United States permanently in 2000, and ultimately settled in Houston in 2003. Here he founded his own oil consulting company and started his own electrical company. He lived in the Houston metropolitan area until his death.
José loved playing sports, his favorite being table tennis. He especially loved music and was a great dancer. His greatest quality was undoubtedly his dedication to serving the needy and less fortunate. José is survived by his beloved wife, Miriam Da Silva, of Spring, Texas; his children Jose Zadezensky, of Gainesville, Florida; David Zadezensky, of Miami, Florida; Dorys Zadezensky, of Washington, D.C.; Elizabeth Zadezensky, of Gainesville, Florida; Eryk Ruperez, of Spring, Texas; and Jonathan Ruperez, of Spring, Texas. He was preceded in death by his mother, Helen Cabrera.

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






The family of a Spring electrical contractor who died from injuries after a fiery explosion at the Whitehall Hotel downtown last week has sued the hotel chain and others for at least $1 million.

According to a negligence suit filed in Harris County district court Friday, Jose Zadezensky, 72, and his stepson Jonathan Ruperez, 29, were working as contractors in a basement room of the hotel Nov. 10 when a violent explosion took place.


At the time, Houston Fire Department Deputy Chief Blake C. White told reporters a transformer explosion had caused a fire to ignite. Soon after the explosion, thick plumes of black smoke billowed out of one side of the Whitehall Hotel. Hotel guests and others who were near the hotel the afternoon of the fire said they heard what sounded like an explosion.

Zadezensky died two days later from his injuries. The cause of his death, as well as the details of the accident, are under investigation, the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences said Friday.


In a suit filed Friday, Ruperez and others related to Zadezensky allege negligence by hotel owner Houston Hotel Associates Limited Partnership, LLP and other companies. Also listed as defendants are Sotherly Hotels LP, MHI Hotel Services dba Chesapeake Hospitality, CenterPoint Energy, and Reliant Energy.

Representatives of the companies listed as defendants in the suit declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

In the suit, attorneys for the family say the two men asked a hotel maintenance employee to shut off a breaker box to turn off any electrical currents while they worked.

The hotel employee, the suit says, told them he did not know which breaker should be turned off.

Zadezensky then asked for blueprints of the hotel's electric lines so he could confirm which breaker needed to be turned off, the suit says. The hotel employee denied their request, the suit says, and instead guided them into another room.

There, the suit says, the employee notified the two men of a transformer that needed to be repaired. An aluminum ladder was standing in the room from previous repair efforts, the suit says, which Zadezensky tried to move.

"As soon as he touched the ladder, an electrical explosion occurred which resulted in a fire," the suit says. "Ruperez was blown backward from the power of the explosion and fell to the ground. Upon turning back towards the explosion, Ruperez saw his father Zadezensky engulfed in flames."

"Ruperez immediately ran to his aid in an attempt to put out the fire engulfing his father," the suit says. "Ruperez tackled Zadezensky and was able to smother the flames."

Zadezensky was diagnosed with burns on 85 percent of his body and 90 percent of his organs, the suit says; Ruperez also suffered severe burns.

The suit also says the hotel's sprinkler system did not turn on until "several minutes" after the explosion.

A temporary restraining order was also issued Friday to halt cleanup and repairs at the hotel in order to preserve evidence.

"(Zadezensky) was unknowingly sent into what was essentially a deathtrap of uncontrolled electricity surges," Derek Potts, who is representing the family, wrote in an email Friday. "Our client suffered one of the worst deaths there is: burning alive and living for several days before passing."

DRUNK OKINAWA MARINE KILLS JAPANESE DRIVER: All servicemembers on Okinawa are under “Tier 3 Liberty Status” until further notice and prohibited from consuming alcohol on or off base An Okinawa-based Marine’s blood-alcohol content was triple Japan’s legal limit Sunday when his vehicle collided with a minitruck, killing its Japanese driver

TOKYO — An Okinawa-based Marine’s blood-alcohol content was triple Japan’s legal limit Sunday when his vehicle collided with a minitruck, killing its Japanese driver, police say.

The Marine was “slightly injured” in the 5:30 a.m. JST crash at a Naha intersection, Okinawa policeman Kazuhiko Miyagi told The Associated Press. 

UPDATE | Japan-based servicemembers hit with alcohol ban after fatal crash on Okinawa

The victim – a 61-year-old man – was making a turn when his vehicle was hit by the servicemember’s truck, which was coming in the opposite direction, Japanese media reports said. Witness accounts say the Japanese driver had the right of way, and that the Marine may have gone through a red light.

Miyagi told AP that a breath test indicated the servicemember had a blood-alcohol level that was three times Japan’s legal limit of 0.03 percent.


The drivers’ names had not been released as of Sunday evening.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, said a statement issued Sunday evening by Marine Corps Installations Pacific.

"I would like to convey my deepest regret and sincere condolences to the family and friends of the Okinawan man who died as a result of this accident," Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson, commander of Marine Forces Japan and III Marine Expeditionary Force, said in the statement. "We are still gathering facts and working with the Japanese authorities who are investigating the accident and its causes.”




This image from a Tokyo Broadcasting System program shows the inside of a vehicle involved in a fatal crash in Naha, Okinawa, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017.
SCREENSHOT FROM TBS

Nicholson added that the Marine Corps holds servicemembers to the “highest standards of conduct,” and that it would cooperate with investigators “to the fullest extent.”

“You have my promise that I will rigorously work to determine the cause of the incident, and take every possible step to keep this from happening again," he said.

A statement issued Sunday evening by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it has requested that officials with U.S. Forces Japan and the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo strengthen discipline among servicemembers and take steps to prevent future incidents.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan William Hagerty responded by apologizing and expressing his condolences “to the victim killed in this tragic incident as well as his family,” the statement said.

Hagerty added that the U.S. side would cooperate with the investigation and move to prevent future incidents, the statement said.

U.S. Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen. Jerry Martinez has ordered that all Japan-based servicemembers are banned from buying or consuming alcohol.


The ban came into effect late Sunday and will remain in place until further notice, said USFJ spokesman Capt. Tyler Hopkins.

All servicemembers on Okinawa are under “Tier 3 Liberty Status” until further notice and prohibited from consuming alcohol on or off base, said a message issued late Sunday evening by II Marine Expeditionary Force.

“Marines, Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen must return to quarters and cease consuming alcohol effective immediately,” the message said. “Off base liberty is NOT permitted in Okinawa. Authorized leave is to be conducted outside Okinawa.”

The fatal collision could ignite further opposition to the U.S. military presence on Okinawa, where a string of alcohol-fueled incidents last year inspired protests and efforts to combat the problem.

Tens of thousands of people turned out in summer 2016 for demonstrations sparked by incidents involving U.S. forces, including the alcohol-fueled rape of a Japanese woman by a sailor and a crash involving an intoxicated Navy petty officer driving the wrong way down a highway that injured three people.

In December, leaders from each service branch on the island signed a proclamation urging military commanders and civilian supervisors to promote awareness of why people drive impaired, support programs and policies to reduce the problem, and promote healthier and safer activities.

Luciana Stock of Souderton was charged with homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, and careless driving when she plowed into a Franconia Township crew that had been painting roadway markings on the 300 block of West Broad Street and killed David Smith, 53, and critically injured Jeffrey Moyer, 46

 David Smith, 53, dead

Luciana Stock of Souderton - so pretty and in so much trouble

A 20-year-old Montgomery County woman whose car crashed into a work crew, killing one man and injuring another,

in September has been charged with homicide by vehicle, prosecutors said Friday.


Luciana Stock of Souderton was driving to work shortly before 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 5 and had reached below her radio for her cigarettes when her 2000 Oldsmobile Alero plowed into a Franconia Township crew that had been painting roadway markings on the 300 block of West Broad Street, prosecutors said.

The car hit David Smith, 53, and Jeffrey Moyer, 46. Smith was transported to Grand View Hospital in Sellersville, where he was pronounced dead. Moyer, who was critically injured, was flown to Temple University Hospital.

Stock was arraigned last week before District Judge Philip J. Daly, who set unsecured bail at $75,000. Stock was released on her own recognizance. Her preliminary hearing was set for Thursday.


Stock told a detective that she was late for her job in Hatfield and “felt rushed,” according to the affidavit of probable cause.

As she was driving, “she reached down for her cigarettes, which were underneath her radio, and when she looked up two people were on her windshield,” according to the affidavit. Stock’s car ran over a traffic cone before hitting the men.

Investigators determined that she was driving 39 mph when she crashed. The posted speed limit was 35.

She was charged with homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, and careless driving.



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



FRANCONIA, PA — The Franconia Township public works employee who was killed in a crash earlier in September was remembered in his obituary as a loving family man who was the "biggest fan" of his children in their athletic endeavors.

Smith, 53, was killed after being hit by a car while painting lines on the road near West Broad Street Elementary School on Sept. 5.

Jeffrey Moyer, 46, of Telford, was also struck and seriously injured in the accident, but he survived.


"Franconia is a tight-knit community and staff at the township is like family. When a member of our community is lost or injured, we all grieve. We are doing all that we can to assist the families of our co-workers," Franconia Board Of Supervisors Chairman Grey Godshall said.

An investigation is ongoing.

David R. Smith, 53, of Telford, passed away suddenly September 5, 2017 at Grand View Hospital. He and his wife, Karen (Waldspurger) Smith, celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary on March 11th of this year.


Born April 15, 1964 in Philadelphia, he was a son of Delia (Deeny) Smith of Souderton and the late Ellwood A. Smith, Sr. He was a 1982 graduate of North Penn High School and was employed by the Franconia Township Department of Public Works since 1989.

Dave was heavily involved with racing for many years. He took part in Street Stock Racing at East Windsor Speedway from 1984-1990 where he was point champion in 1986, and was the multi-feature winner 1996-1997 with the Mini-Cups at Mahoning Valley Speedway. He served as crew chief for each of his kids at Phoenixville Quarter Midget Club from 1988-2003. He was a member of the pit crew from 2002-2015 at Grandview Speedway for his nephew, Todd, and served as crew chief at Grandview Speedway for his son, Derrick, from 2016 until the present. He was also a member of Blast with the Past Vintage Club since 2007.

Dave was an active part of each of his children's lives. He was an avid contributor to the Souderton Area Baseball League. He was not only a coach, umpire, and volunteer for his own sons, but for the entire league. Dave also enjoyed cheering on his daughter at her gymnastics meets. He was her biggest fan. Also, he enjoyed watching his son in his senior year of football at Souderton Area High School. He treasured his vacations with his family in Chincoteague, VA for the last 18 years.

In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by three sons, Matt, Derrick and Jason Smith; a daughter, Allison Smith; a brother, Ellwood "Skip" Smith, Jr. and his wife, Donna, of Hatfield; two sisters, Dolores "Boo" Sharp and her husband, Wayne, of Souderton, and Debbie Dougherty and her husband, Jim of Hatfield; and a brother-in-law, James Evangelisto, Sr. of Lansdale. He is also survived by nephews: Jim, Todd, Wayne "BJ", Bryan, Jared and Justin; nieces: Marie, Denise, Tina, Tracy, Tara, Kellie and Jenna; and his mother-in-law, Dee McCarthy and her husband, Tom.

In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by a sister, Edna Evangelisto; and his father-in-law, Lawrence Waldspurger, Jr. (He and Dave were known as the Alpha Dogs.)

Relatives and friends are invited to attend his viewings from 5-8PM on Monday, September 11, at Williams-Bergey-Koffel Funeral Home, Inc., 667 Harleysville Pike, Telford (Franconia Twp.), and again on Tuesday at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, 1601 Derstine Rd., Hatfield, from 9-10:30AM. The funeral mass will begin at the church at 11AM on Tuesday and the burial will follow at St. John Neumann Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his name to Souderton Area Baseball League, P. O. Box 64766, Souderton, PA 18964. Online condolences may be made to the family at wwwWilliamsBergeyKoffel.com.


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

LUCIANA STOCK OF SOUDERTON CHARGED WITH HOMICIDE BY VEHICLE FOR DEATH OF FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP WORKER IN CAR CRASH

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Franconia Township Police Chief Joseph S. Kozeniewski announce the arrest of Luciana Stock, 20, of Souderton, for Homicide by Vehicle, Aggravated Assault by Vehicle and related charges stemming from the Sept. 5, 2017, crash that killed one Franconia Township worker and seriously injured another.

At 2:27 p.m., Franconia Township Police responded to a vehicle crash on West Broad Street in Souderton to find that two males—later identified as 46-year-old Jeffrey Moyer and 53-year-old David Smith—had been seriously injured from a vehicle crash. Mr. Moyer was flown to Temple University Hospital, and Mr. Smith was transported to Grand View Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
An investigation of the crash by the Montgomery County Detective Bureau and Franconia Township Police determined that four members of the Franconia Township Highway Department had established a work site to complete roadway pavement markings. The work site was delineated with orange traffic-control cones, and the Highway Department work truck was flashing its four-way warning lights when the defendant, driving westbound in a 2000 Oldsmobile Alero, drove over an orange cone and struck Mr. Moyer and Mr. Smith while traveling at approximately 39 mph.

An autopsy by the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office determined that Mr. Smith’s death was caused by multiple injuries as a result of the crash.

Stock was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Philip J. Daly, who set bail at $75,000 unsecured. She was released on her own recognizance. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m., Nov. 30, 2017, before Magisterial District Judge Albert J. Augustine. The case will be prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kelly Lloyd.

Frazier Industrial Company operating as Fracan, 163 North Murray Street, Trenton, Ontario, a steel fabrication facility, fined $55,000 after Worker Injured by Steel Struts

Trenton Company Fined $55,000 After Worker Injured by Steel Struts

November 22, 2017 4:15 P.M.

Ministry of Labour

Convicted: Frazier Industrial Company operating as Fracan, 163 North Murray Street, Trenton, Ontario, a steel fabrication facility.

Location: 163 North Murray Street, Trenton.

Description of Offence: A worker  who was moving a bundle of steel using an overhead crane suffered permanent crushing injuries when an outer steel strut in the bundle moved inward.


Date of Offence: March 8, 2016.


Date of Conviction: November 22, 2017.

  
Penalty Imposed

• Fracan was fined $55,000 by Justice of the Peace Christopher I. Peltzer in Belleville court at 235 Pinnacle Street; Crown Counsel Jai Dhar.
• The court also imposed a 25-per-cent victim fine surcharge as required by the Provincial Offences Act. The surcharge is credited to a special provincial government fund to assist victims of crime.

Background

• A worker was given the task of moving a bundle of steel using an overhead crane. The bundle consisted of 20 steel struts stacked in four rows with three-inch wooden spacers between each row. The bundled weighed about 2,600 pounds and was 20.5 feet long.
• The worker used a set of lifting chains attached to the overhead crane to move the bundle and was holding onto the bundle to keep it steady as it lifted.
• As the load was being raised, one of the outer steel struts in the bundle suddenly moved inward and pressed against the next steel strut.
• The worker suffered a crushing injury which resulted in a permanent injury.
• The investigation by the Ministry of Labour revealed that it was common for the steel struts to shift in this manner when being moved by overhead cranes.
• Section 45(a) of Ontario Regulation 851 (the Industrial Establishments Regulation) states that materials, articles or things required to be lifted, carried or moved, shall be lifted, carried or moved in a manner that does not endanger the safety of any worker.

HTH Building Services, Inc. worker Joseph Ponce cleaning the grassy area off Akers Mill Road in Cobb County, GA, was killed by distracted female driver Toni Hale, 30

HTH Building Services worker Joseph Ponce cleaning the grassy area off Akers Mill Road in Cobb County, GA, was killed by distracted female driver Toni Hale, 30

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - 

A worker was killed after a woman drove onto the sidewalk of a busy road and hit them, police told Channel 2 Action News.

The victim was identified as father of two, Joseph Ponce.

Officials said the incident happened on Akers Mill Road at Galleria Drive at 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Channel 2's Liz Artz watched as co-workers came out and established a memorial with balloons Wednesday afternoon.


Ponce was on the job doing maintenance when this happened, police said.

Ponce has a very close family and his cousin worked for the same company.

“He says, ‘Fritz, come on bad news.’ ‘What is the bad news?’ ‘Your cousin pass away.’ ‘My cousin?’ ‘Yeah my cousin.’ I don't know, I see police and they say, ‘sir, where are you going?’ ‘Let me see.’” said Ponce's cousin, Fritz Cherichel.

The cousins were close, Cherichel said they moved to Georgia together after growing up in Haiti.

“We play soccer when we was 10, 9 years old together,” Cherichel said.

He said they both worked for HTH Building Services. Cherichel said Ponce was cleaning the grassy area off the Cobb County road when police said 30-year-old Toni Hale slammed into the 50-year-old father of two.

His wife, Wilma Ponce, met him after he moved to Atlanta. Through tears, she said she doesn't know what she'll do without him.

"I don't know, only God knows,” Wilma Ponce said. “I don't think I'm going to take it I don't know."

"I feel hurt my heart breaking because I lost him for life,” said Ponce’s brother, Michelin Joseph.

Channel 2 Action News called the company Ponce works for but they did not return our phone call. Police said Hale could be charged with vehicular homicide, distracted driving and failure to maintain lane.





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Pencco plant worker Dale Bachman killed after an explosion at Pencco, Inc., on U.S. Highway 264-A in Middlesex, a manufacturer of wastewater treatment chemicals

Friends, family ID victim in Nash County plant explosion


November 25, 2017




Middlesex, N.C. — A sole worker died Friday after an explosion at a manufacturer of wastewater treatment chemicals in Nash County, the Middlesex chief of police said.

A fire tank exploded at Pencco, Inc., on U.S. Highway 264-A in Middlesex, at around 9:30 a.m., according to the fire marshal. 


Pencco’s North Carolina manufacturing facility is located in Middlesex, just west of Raleigh. Each of the manufacturing locations produce water and wastewater treatment chemicals and are also complemented by a large distribution network of rail cars and tanker trucks.

Police have not identified the victim, but friends and family have identified him as Dale Bachman.

Police, firefighters and hazardous materials personnel responded to the incident. By late afternoon they still had not determined the cause of the deadly accident.

"There's a family that's suffering today – the day after Thanksgiving – and we want to remember them, that's the main thing," said Lee Waddell, who was working nearby.

Terry Munson said he was startled when the explosion happened. He lives a quarter of a mile from the plant.


"I was in the living room watching television, and I heard a big bang," he said. "It blew the door open a little bit."

"A lot of people around here know Dale," Munson said. "Real outgoing guy and the nicest fellow you ever want to meet."

The explosion could be heard and felt in communities from Zebulon to Spring Hope to Bailey, and people chimed in on Facebook to wonder what caused it.

Waddell did more than hear and feel the explosion. From where he was working nearby, he could see the smoke plume.

"We actually thought something was wrong with our building because the whole roof shook," he said. "We all ducked down, looked at each other and ran out."

Pencco's corporate offices are in Texas. The company also has a location in California.

Bachman was a regular at Rossa's grill, known affectionately as Mr. Dale.

"Sometimes there would be people in here, they wouldn't have enough money for their food," employee Dee Dee Wilson said. "Mr. Dale would sit right there in that corner and wave and say 'I've got it.'"

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has taken over the investigation.

"I feel sorry for his family and everything like that," Munson said. "A whole lot of people in this town lost a good friend." The Middlesex police chief told WRAL they expect to have more information on what caused the explosion early next week.

Here is the release from Nash County Sheriff's Office



Explosion at Pencco, Inc in Middlesex, NC

Middlesex Police Department, the primary agency, with the assistance of the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, are currently at the scene of a tank explosion at Pencco, Inc., located at 10143 U.S. Highway 264-A, Middlesex, NC.

There is no immediate information concerning any possible injuries. Emergency and HazMat personnel are responding to assess the incident.

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Welcome to Pencco – Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals, Odor Control Chemicals & Wastewater Treatment Services

Pencco Sells Solutions

At Pencco, we are committed to performing at the highest level so our customers can do the same. From our manufacturing facilities and extensive distribution network to our world-class engineers and sales professionals, Pencco is not just meeting the highest standards, but setting them.
We specialize in water treatment chemistries for various applications. Our water treatment chemicals include innovative, unique solutions for each customer’s specific needs. We are dedicated to providing personalized service and reliable water treatment chemicals, based upon traditional values of integrity and trust.

A History in Water and Wastewater Treatment Chemicals

For over 30 years, Pencco has provided odor control chemicals for wastewater collections systems ranging from wastewater treatment chemicals, to full service applications. Pencco employs experienced engineers from across the industry that are equipped to come alongside a client and craft a unique approach to meet the customer’s needs. Major municipalities such as Dallas, Houston and Los Angeles benefit from our products and services. Choose Pencco for knowledgeable experts in water and wastewater treatment chemicals and services that will provide proven results.

We offer solutions in the following areas, dependent on your application:

• Municipal & Industrial Water Treatment
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