MEC&F Expert Engineers : 05/19/18

Saturday, May 19, 2018

A construction worker has been injured following an awning collapse in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio during demolition work





CINCINNATI, OHIO —

A construction worker has been injured following an awning collapse in downtown Cincinnati.

It happened Friday morning in the 500 block of Main Street near Government Square.


According to police, a construction worker was injured and taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Police said the worker is expected to survive.

Police have released few details.



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Construction worker injured in awning collapse

Friday, May 18th 2018, 9:24 am EDT
Posted by Melissa Neeley, Digital Content Producer



CINCINNATI, OH (FOX19) -

A construction worker was taken to the hospital Friday morning after an awning collapsed at a work site, according to Cincinnati Police.

Medics pulled the victim from the debris just before 9 a.m. in the 500 block of Main Street, said police.

Workers were removing the awning ceiling when it fell, hitting one of the workers.

The worker suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

Clarence R. Sieveking Jr. died from asphyxiation due to an industrial accident Monday at the Gallagher Station power plant in New Albany, which is operated by Duke Energy.






New Albany Gallagher plant employee died from asphyxiation 


Friday, May 18th 2018, 5:57 pm EDT










New Albany Fire and Rescue were called out Monday morning to the facility run by Duke Energy on calls of an injured male employee. (Source: WAVE 3 News file)

By CHRIS MORRIS
News and Tribune

NEW ALBANY, IN (NEWS AND TRIBUNE) - Clarence R. Sieveking Jr. died from asphyxiation due to an industrial accident Monday at the Gallagher Station power plant in New Albany, which is operated by Duke Energy.

Stefanie House, Floyd County deputy coroner, confirmed Sieveking's death was caused by an accident Thursday afternoon.

Sieveking, 65, was transported to Baptist Health Floyd Hospital where he was pronounced dead. His autopsy was performed in Floyd County where the accident occurred.




Duke Energy spokeswoman Angeline Protogere said the company would do a "thorough investigation" into Sieveking's death.

"We extend our deepest, heartfelt sympathies to the employee's family and friends, including those with whom he worked," she said Monday.

Stephanie McFarland, a spokeswoman for the Indiana Department of Labor, said it could take weeks before a final report is issued about the incident.

Sieveking was employed at the Gallagher plant for 36 years and was also a member of I.B.E.W. #1393. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Kraft Funeral Service, Charlestown Road Chapel. Visitation is from 12 to 8 p.m. Friday.

Online condolences may be made here.

He is survived by two children and two grandchildren.



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OBITUARY
Clarence R. "Dad" Sieveking Jr.
March 22, 1953 – May 14, 2018

Clarence R. “Dad” Sieveking Jr. , 65 years of age, died Monday, May 14, 2018. He was born March 22, 1953 in New Albany, Indiana to the late Clarence R. Sr. and Mildred (Wiseheart) Sieveking. Clarence was a member of I.B.E.W. #1393 and employed for over 30 years with Duke Energy at the Gallagher Power Plant where he was affectionally called “Dad”. He was the widower of his wife of many years, Terri Sieveking, who died in December of 2014. Clarence loved his dogs, the outdoors, kayaking, hiking, fishing, and Realtree Camo, but most of all his family and many friends. He will be fondly remembered and greatly missed. Survivors include his daughter, Julie M. Simon (Ronald Lee); son, Robert Andrew Sieveking; and two grandchildren, Autumn and Adam. Visitation will be 12 noon ~ 8 pm Friday, May 18th, and after 9 am Saturday, May 19th, at Kraft Funeral Service, 2776 Charlestown Road, New Albany, Indiana. His Funeral Service will be 11 am Saturday, May 19th, in the Kraft Charlestown Road Chapel with burial in Kraft-Graceland Memorial Park. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the American Cancer Society. Online condolences may be made to www.kraftfs.com.

No employee is required to work directly below a suspended load: The death of Anthony Lyon, 42, who was struck by a piece of equipment at ITW Devcon Polymers Adhesives in Danvers, MA






Worker Killed by Common Workplace Hazard



05/18/18
WorkersCompensation.com



Boston,MA (WorkersCompensation.com) - 


The death of Anthony Lyon who suffered fatal injuries May 1 after being struck by a piece of equipment at ITW Devcon in Danvers, MA is a tragic reminder that employers should ensure that no employee is required to work directly below a suspended load so that catastrophic events like this no longer take place, said the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety & Health (MassCOSH) in a statement released today.

According to media reports, Lyon, 42, was working around a standard forklift being used to hoist and then lower a large 900-pound wheel. Lyon was working on the equipment when part of the object fell on him, causing catastrophic injuries. He was pronounced dead at Beverly Hospital after medical professionals were unable to resuscitate him.

There have been two other workplace fatalities in Massachusetts this year where a worker was struck by and fatally injured by an object. On April 30, a worker was killed in Marion when struck by a falling tree limb. On April 3, Joseph Teixeira was fatally injured when struck while moving a trench box with an excavator.

According to the 2018 MassCOSH report, Dying for Work in Massachusetts, there were six cases of fatal contact with objects or equipment on the job in 2017, the third most common cause of deadly injuries. A total of 74 workers died from workplace injuries that year, an 11-year high for the Commonwealth. According to MassCOSH safety experts, to avoid similar workplace fatalities, employers should ensure that equipment, such as forklifts, are only used as the manufacturer designed the equipment to be used. Employers should ensure that each day before being used, the sling and all fastenings and attachments are inspected for damage or defects by a competent person designated by the employer. Damaged or defective slings should be immediately removed from service.

“We cannot allow losses like this to go unreported and unnoticed,” said MassCOSH Executive Director Jodi Sugerman-Brozan. “Attention must be paid every time a worker is hurt or killed on the job, or we will continue to lose men and women who are simply trying to make a living. Our thoughts are with Anthony's family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.”  Our wallets stay with us, though; thoughts are free, money is not.


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




Victim in Danvers industrial accident identified

By Ethan Forman Staff Writer
May 2, 2018







DANVERS, Mass. — 


The Essex District Attorney's office has identified the man who died Tuesday in an industrial accident at an adhesives plant on as Anthony Lyon, 42, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

Lyon was working on a piece of equipment and suffered a fall from a ladder at ITW Polymers Adhesives, North America headquarters, at 30 Endicott St. The facility is also known as Devcon.

Danvers deputy Fire Chief Robert Amerault said the contractor was an employee of Tougher Sheet & Steel, out of Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Police Capt. Jamie Lovell said the man was working on a piece of equipment outside at the back of the building that was part of the complex. Neither Amerault nor Lovell were able to say how far he fell.

Danvers Fire Engine 3, Danvers police and Atlantic Ambulance responded to the accident at 8:38 a.m. Crews found Lyon conscious and alert with severe injuries.

Danvers fire Lt. Craig Vesey requested a Medflight helicopter due to the severity of the injuries. A short while later, the helicopter landed less than 1 1/2 miles away behind the police station on Ash Street.

Amerault said the man went into cardiac arrest while on the way to the helicopter from the accident site. Instead, the Medflight crew boarded the ambulance with the man and took him directly to Beverly Hospital in an effort to resuscitate him, but he was subsequently pronounced dead.

Danvers police, state police assigned to the District Attorney's Office and an inspector of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the accident.

A woman who answered the phone at ITW Polymers Adhesives on Wednesday said the company did not have a comment on the accident.



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








POTTSTOWN, PA -- 


A Pottstown man died in a fall from a ladder while working as a contract employee at a business in Massachusetts on Tuesday.

Anthony Lyon, 42, was on a ladder at ITW Polymers Adhesives in Danvers when the incident occurred at around 8:38 a.m.

It's not yet clear what led to Lyon's fall. A spokesperson for the company was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.

Lyons was conscious but had sustained severe injuries when first responders arrived on the scene. He went into cardiac arrest while being transported from the scene of the accident to a Medflight helicopter.


Medics made the decision to reroute to Beverly Hospital. Lyon reportedly died en route to the facility. He was employed by Allentown-based Tougher Sheet & Steel.



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

Anthony's Obituaries

Anthony L. Lyon, 42, of Pottstown, PA passed away Tuesday May 1, 2018. Anthony was a loving free-spirit who enjoyed traveling, playing chess, and spending quality time with his family and loved ones. Anthony was also a member of The Pottstown Montgomery Elks Club. He was the son of the Henry Lyon (late) and Georgiann Lyon. Anthony leaves behind his son Anthony Lyon and granddaughter, Aurora Monet Lyon. He is also survived by his Grandparents John & Grace Clayton, Sisters; Lisa Henderson, Theresa Lyon, Angel Lyon; and his nieces and nephews; Trenton Davidheiser, Deitrich Davidheiser, Nyles Davidheiser, Patience Henderson, Sabre Henderson, Trinity Henderson; Olivia Coleman, and Onjelay Nixon, and his two dogs; Gans and Sky
 ==================================

Alleged Pottstown rapist free on bail pending hearing

Anthony Louis Lyon, 37
Anthony Louis Lyon, 37
POTTSTOWN, PA — A Pottstown man who allegedly ignored a woman’s cries and pleas as he raped her inside a borough residence, gagging her with her shirt, striking her in the head and barricading the bedroom where he assaulted her, is free on bail.

Anthony Louis Lyon, 37, of 415 Manatawny St., was released after posting bail through a bondsman after he was arrested Tuesday. 


Lyon allegedly raped the woman during the early morning hours Sunday, attacking her verbally before the fight escalated to a “violent physical assault,” according to court documents. 


Lyon allegedly took the victim’s phone so she could not call for help and then grabbed her face causing her to bleed. When the victim ended up on the floor face down, the court documents state, Lyon allegedly struck her in the head numerous times, according to court papers. 


When the victim started “crying, yelling and begging Lyon to stop,” he allegedly took her shirt off and put it in her mouth as a gag, and “pulled back on this shirt from behind her as he was on her back pinning her to the ground,” investigators noted in court papers. The victim believed she was going to lose consciousness and thought Lyon was going to kill her. 


Lyon allegedly raped the victim “as she cried and pleaded with him to stop,” investigators noted in court documents. Lyon didn’t stop, and after he finished raping her, he continued to lie on top of the victim “with all his weight so she could not leave the room,” investigators said. Although Lyon eventually let the victim off the floor, he barricaded the bedroom door so the victim could not leave. 


When the victim was finally able to leave the residence, the victim who still did not have a phone that worked, found two strangers who called 911 and police responded. 


Investigators noted in court documents that the victim suffered “numerous visible bruises and scratches to her body,” including “scratches on her stomach and side,” and bruises on her thighs, among other injuries. 


Lyon was taken into custody Tuesday and charged with felony rape, aggravated assault, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, unlawful restraint and simple assault. 


He was arraigned by District Judge Scott T. Palladino who set his bail at $100,000 cash. Lyon was incarcerated, initially unable to post bail, but he was released Tuesday after he posted bail using a professional bondsman. 


A search of court records found Lyon has prior arrests for drug offenses and harassment, and several summary violations for having animals at large and cruelty to animals. 


Lyon’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Oct. 4 before Judge Palladino.

Victims of domestic violence or those interested in assisting someone experiencing domestic violence may utilize the following resources: 


• The Women’s Center of Montgomery County can be reached at 610-970-7363; the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County can be reached at 610-431-1430; Berks County Women in Crisis can be reached at 610-372-9540; and Laurel House can be reached at 610-277-1860.

• Laurel House has a 24-hour hot line, 1-800-642-3150, and can also be reached online at www.laurel-house.org

• The SAFE Project can help abusers stop being abusive. The Children’s SAFE Project can help kids who witness or are affected by violence in the family. For information on these programs call 610-326-9250 ext. 1197.

Tallmadge Wakeman D'Elia, 38, may have been killed by a vape pen that exploded, sparking the fire in his home in St. Petersburg, Florida




Tallmadge Wakeman D'Elia, 38, may have been killed by a vape pen that exploded, sparking the fire in his home in St. Petersburg, Florida




Injuries to D'Elia's face indicated his e-cigarette exploded.

 
Florida man who was found dead after a house fire on Saturday may have been killed by a vape pen that exploded, sparking the blaze, authorities said on Monday.

St. Petersburg firefighters said they found Tallmadge D'Elia, 38, dead inside a second-floor bedroom in his house on 316 19th Avenue Northeast in St. Petersburg after receiving a call from a smoke alarm monitoring company. The fire originated in the bedroom, they said.

"From the information we gathered on scene through process of elimination, we narrowed it down that the ignition source was a vape that was being used," said Lt. Steven Lawrence, the deputy fire marshal.

The official cause of the fire, as well as D'Elia's cause of death, has not been released pending further investigation and an autopsy, but Lawrence noted that the injuries sustained by D’Elia were consistent with a lithium-ion battery explosion. Authorities have yet to learn the manufacturer of D'Elia's vape.

"We believe that there's a possibility that the battery pack used in the vape mod had an issue and exploded, and that was the ignition of the fire."

D’Elia began smoking cigarettes while working in the television industry, but began vaping several years ago as a means of quitting, according to relatives.

"A lot of people who work in TV end up smoking, so he picked up vaping to try and stop smoking cigarettes," said D'Elia's father, Christopher, who noted that his son often went by the nickname Wake.

"I saw him using it and I didn't think about any inherent dangers of using it, but now I know that there's something not right. He was a very bright, friendly, happy guy who loved kids; a really nice individual. People loved him," Christopher D'Elia said.

Vaping is inhaling the aerosol, commonly called vapor, produced by electronic cigarettes to simulate the act of smoking tobacco.

D'Elia would not be the first vaper to fall victim to an exploding vape pen: in January 2017, an Idaho man suffered second-degree burns on his neck and lost nine teeth after a vape he was using exploded in his mouth. In 2016, a vape user in New York suffered third-degree burns when the device exploded in his pants pocket while he was at work.

Despite this, vaping advocates continue to stand by the safety of vapor products, insisting that events such as these can be avoided with a bit of attentiveness.

"Millions of adults use vapor products regularly and incidents like these are not common," Gregory Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, a nonprofit that advocates for vapor products as a tool to help smokers quit, said in an e-mail. "When charged, stored and used under proper conditions, vapor products pose no more of a fire risk than cellphones and laptops that use similar lithium-ion batteries."

However, he said, short circuits can occur when battery-operated products are subjected to extreme conditions or used with unwrapped or damaged batteries. "For those consumers wishing to use more advanced products, learning and practicing battery safety is a must," he added.



Tallmadge Wakeman "Wake" D'ELIA

1979 - 2018 Obituary




was born December 16, 1979 in Leonardtown, Maryland. He grew up in Solomons, Maryland, on the banks of the Patuxent River, a place that he loved his whole life. As an ardent and skilled in-line skater, he played both ice and roller hockey in his youth. He was a talented photographer and videographer, which he began doing as an avocation in high school and which later became his life's work. He was a 1998 graduate of the Key School in Annapolis, Maryland, and a 2002 graduate of the University at Albany SUNY, where he majored in History and Mass Communication and made the Dean's list. He was a great skier, a music lover and music composer. He played guitar and bass. He was a television technical specialist in the New York City area for most of his career. He worked at NY1 News and then at CNBC, part of NBC Universal, where he was most recently the Technical Production Supervisor for the morning business show, Squawk Box. His hard work and performance was formally recognized by CNBC numerous times. In 2004, he married Maria Lamberti from Cava dei Tirreni, Italy, whom he met at SUNY Albany. They lived in Clifton Park, NJ, then Cava dei Tirreni, Italy and finally in St. Petersburg, Florida where he died May 5, 2018 in a tragic accident at home. He is survived by wife, Maria Lamberti of Cava dei Tirreni, Italy; parents, Jennifer H. D'Elia and Christopher F. D'Elia of St. Petersburg, Florida, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana; grandmother, Marian D'Elia of Mystic, Connecticut; aunts and uncles, Tonita Disch of Mount Dora, Florida, Harry Hunnicutt, of Dexter, Missouri, Kermit Hunnicutt of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, John and Lesley Trevor of Lake Placid, New York, Jonathan and Marj D'Elia of Bridgeport, Connecticut; eleven cousins; in-laws, Carmine Lamberti and Emilia Rispoli, brothers-in-law, Vincenzo and Silvio Lamberti; sister-in-law, Nicoletta Cirino; and his cherished nieces, Camilla and Alice Lamberti.
==============================




ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida man died earlier this month when an e-cigarette exploded, burning 80% of his body, the Pinellas County medical examiner's office says.
Tallmadge "Wake" D'Elia was found May 5 by firefighters, who suspected a vaping pen was the cause of death. The medical examiner's office confirmed the pen caused his death on Tuesday.

Injuries to D'Elia's face indicated his e-cigarette exploded, burning 80% of his body, according to a medical examiner's report.

Exploding e-cigarettes and pens are extremely rare, and most explosions center around the battery, but they happen enough to cause concern at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The federal agency recently put out a fact sheet with some safety recommendations:
  • Never carry e-cig batteries loose in your pocket, especially where they might come into contact with coins, keys or other metal objects which can cause the battery to short out.
  • Never use you phone or tablet charger. Use the charger that originally came with the device.
  • Don’t charge your vape device while sleeping or leave it unattended.
  • Charge it on a flat surface away from anything that can catch fire. Don’t charge it on your couch or bed.
  • Always replace the batteries if they get damaged or wet.
  • Always use batteries recommended for your device and don’t mix and match different brands or mix old and new batteries.
  • Never alter your device or disable the safety features like fire button locks or vent holes.
  • Protect your vape from extreme temperatures by not leaving it in direct sunlight or in a freezing car overnight.

The origin and cause of the May 12 fatal apartment fire in Greensboro, NC that killed 5 Congolege refugee children was unattended cooking and not defective equipment









Unattended cooking led to fire that killed 5 children in Greensboro, fire department says

By Jennifer Fernandez 


jennifer.fernandez@greensboro.com
May 18, 2018 Updated 9 hrs ago




Updated 6:03 p.m.


GREENSBORO — Food left on a stove, not defective equipment, caused an apartment fire early Saturday that left five children dead, fire officials said.


"We had an extensive interview with the mother and father yesterday, which led to this determination to the cause and origin," Assistant Fire Chief Dwayne Church said Friday.


Some extended family and community members had complained at a public meeting earlier this week about substandard conditions at the apartment complex at 3100 Summit Ave. Some said the family's stove had been on the fritz.


"That specific question was asked in the interview and that was determined to be false," Church said.


The parents told fire officials there was a problem with the stove but it was repaired and there had been no problems since March, he said.


"It was an accidental fire," Church said.


Firefighters responded about 4 a.m. Saturday to Unit G in the apartment complex at the corner of Summit Avenue and East Cone Boulevard.


Firefighters called to the scene were able to get to the five children inside, three boys and two girls from 18 months to 9 years old, but they all died within the next 24 hours, unable to overcome their injuries.


The father, who works at a local factory, was home with the children but could not get them out. He suffered from smoke inhalation. The mother was working the overnight shift at a chicken plant several counties away.


The two-story townhouse had no sprinklers and no working smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, fire officials said.


Church did not have an estimate for the cost of the damage, which was contained to the one apartment.


"But that appartment's going to have to be totally refurbished," he said.


City officials announced during Wednesday's meeting that housing inspectors would go door-to-door early next week to conduct inspections on every unit at the complex, which is managed by the Arco Realty Co. Beth Benton, the city’s Code Compliance manager, said that action was possible after five residents — the minimum necessary to take action — had signed a petition.


The company, which is owned by Bill Agapion and several family members, has battled the city for decades over several hundred code violations at his extensive properties, many of them having been low-income rentals that fall below housing code standards.


There have been fewer code violations in recent years, but immigration advocates and tenants allege that the property manager at the Summit Avenue complex has been slow to make repairs. The units were inspected and in compliance with city housing codes 18 months ago.


Earlier this week, Irene Agapion-Martinez turned over tenants’ repair requests for the past month to a detective and the fire investigator. None were made about a stove in the affected family’s unit, she said.


The North Carolina African Services Coalition placed the family at the apartment complex 18 months ago, when they arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of a resettlement program. But the agency has since stopped setting up homes there because of complaints about living conditions.


Officials have yet to identify the family.


The city has offered free burial plots and others are working on permanent housing for the parents. They have found a place to stay for now, Church said.



A gofundme account has been set up to help with expenses. It had raised about $39,000 through early Friday evening.


A private funeral is planned for May 26.

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

GREENSBORO — Unattended cooking was the origin and cause of the May 12 apartment fire that killed five children, a Greensboro Fire Department investigation has concluded.


After examining the fire scene at 3100 Summit Ave., Apt. G, investigators determined the room of origin of the fire was the kitchen, with the area of origin being the range, according to a city news release. Once the origin area was identified, the investigators narrowed the cause to unattended cooking and that the fire was accidental in nature.


The fire department said its investigative report does not, nor is it intended to, contain every detail as part of the origin and cause analysis. Also, the identification of parties having possible civil and/or criminal responsibility for the fire is beyond the scope of analysis contained in the report.


Two of the children died shortly after the fire broke out at the apartment complex. Three children died of their injuries Sunday at Brenner Children’s Hospital in Winston-Salem. All had been brought there in critical condition Saturday.


The children ranged in age from 18 months to 6 or 8 years old.


The city said in the release the fire marshal and Fire and Life Safety Division conducted their investigation using the National Fire Protection Association 921 guide, which sets the bar for scientific-based investigations into origins and causes of fires and explosions.



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


Unattended Cooking Led to Deadly Greensboro Apartment Fire: Investigators
Investigators say after examining the fire scene, they determined the room of origin of the fire was the kitchen, with the area of origin being the range.






Author: WFMY News 2 Digtal
Published: 1:48 PM EDT May 18, 2018
Updated: 10:32 PM EDT May 18, 2018

GREENSBORO, N.C.-- The origin and cause of the May 12 fatal apartment fire was unattended cooking, the Greensboro Fire Department says.

The fire led to the death of five children who were pulled from the apartment.

Investigators say after examining the fire scene, they determined the room of origin of the fire was the kitchen, with the area of origin being the range.


Once the origin area was identified, the investigators narrowed the cause too unattended cooking and that the fire was accidental in nature.


Here are confirmed facts about the victims and the fire, that we know so far:

When and where did the fire happen?

According to the Greensboro Fire Department:
The first fire call was reported into Guilford Metro 911 at 3:54am, Saturday to the 3100 block of Summit Avenue.
Firefighters arrived, within four minutes of the call. They saw smoke and heavy flames coming from the apartment.
One adult and five children were removed from the apartment, which was fifteen minutes after the dispatch.
4:18 the fire is out and crews are working to remediate smoke and carbon monoxide levels.
Fire investigators said the fire started in the kitchen.
Fire crews are focusing on the stove.


Fire investigators said they believe the fire was accidental.


Who are the children, the family?

The children range in age from 18 months to 9 years old, according to the NC Department of Insurance (NCDOI). The family is from Congo. Firefighters said the children included two girls and three boys.

2 of the children died Saturday
3 children died Sunday
The children attended Rankin Elementary School.
Rankin Elementary staff is working on a plan to help the family

Where there smoke detectors in the apartment?

Yes, BUT they were NOT working, the NCDOI confirms. Fire investigators said there were batteries in the alarms but they don't know whether they were operating at the time.

In 2017, the fire department installed 14 alarms in the complex where the family lived. They also said the apartment building is up to code.

The Greensboro Fire Department says, this is the deadliest fire since the 2004 Campus Walk Apartment Fire.

From Saturday, May 12: Greensboro doing what they can to help family after deadly apartment fire.

All the children were under eight years old and were refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the North Carolina African Services Coalition.
"Dreams for a better life were destroyed for this family. Refugees from the Congo. Five children under eight yrs old have died as a result from a house fire this weekend. Sadness & loss too large to imagine on this Mother's Day. Prayers for this family. Embrace them in love."