Nine people were injured, one critically, when a natural gas explosion leveled a Denver apartment house in Colorado

People watch as emergency personnel work at a site where a natural gas explosion leveled an apartment building in Denver, Colorado, August 14, 2018, in this picture obtained from social media. Chelsea Sheehan/via REUTERS



DENVER, CO (Reuters) - 

Nine people were injured, one critically, on Tuesday when a natural gas explosion leveled a Denver apartment house, a fire department spokesman said.


First responders rescued two victims trapped inside the building, described as a “fourplex,” in Denver’s historic Baker neighborhood, said Denver Fire Captain Greg Pixley.

No one else was believed trapped in the rubble, alive or dead, Pixley said, but firefighters were conducting a thorough search to make sure.

“What we are using now is the cadaver dog ... to help us assure that we haven’t missed anything,” he said. “Our goal is not to find a victim, but to rule out that a victim is not there.”

Pixley said that arson investigators and a crime scene unit was on the scene as part of the investigation and that crews for Xcel Energy Inc (XEL.O), the Denver utility that supplied the building, had shut off all gas lines into the area.

Xcel Energy spokeswoman Michelle Aguayo said by phone the utility was working with the fire department to determine the cause of the blast.

Two people hurt in the explosion were transported to Denver Health Medical Center, said hospital spokesman Simon Crittle. One had severe traumatic injuries while the other’s injuries were not as severe, he said.

Seven other people who suffered minor injuries were treated at the scene, the Denver Fire Department said on Twitter.

A man who lives in the area told Denver television station FOX31 he smelled gas as he was walking to the store, before an explosion sent bricks flying into the street.

The fire department posted pictures of the apartment building on Twitter showing its roof collapsed in the explosion, which propelled wooden beams and other rubble cascading across the sidewalk.

FBI: The total cost of insurance fraud (non-health insurance) is estimated to be more than $40 billion per year. That means Insurance Fraud costs the average U.S. family between $400 and $700 per year in the form of increased premiums.

Insurance Fraud

A Basic Overview

The insurance industry consists of more than 7,000 companies that collect over $1 trillion in premiums each year. The massive size of the industry contributes significantly to the cost of insurance fraud by providing more opportunities and bigger incentives for committing illegal activities.

Costs of Fraud

The total cost of insurance fraud (non-health insurance) is estimated to be more than $40 billion per year. That means Insurance Fraud costs the average U.S. family between $400 and $700 per year in the form of increased premiums.

Common Schemes

Premium Diversion

• Premium diversion is the embezzlement of insurance premiums.
• It is the most common type of insurance fraud.
• Generally, an insurance agent fails to send premiums to the underwriter and instead keeps the money for personal use.
• Another common premium diversion scheme involves selling insurance without a license, collecting premiums and then not paying claims.

Fee Churning

• In fee churning, a series of intermediaries take commissions through reinsurance agreements.
• The initial premium is reduced by repeated commissions until there is no longer money to pay claims.
• The company left to pay the claims is often a business the conspirators have set up to fail.
• When viewed alone, each transaction appears to be legitimate—only after the cumulative effect is considered does fraud emerge.

Asset Diversion

• Asset diversion is the theft of insurance company assets.
• It occurs almost exclusively in the context of an acquisition or merger of an existing insurance company.
• Asset diversion often involves acquiring control of an insurance company with borrowed funds. After making the purchase, the subject uses the assets of the acquired company to pay off the debt. The remaining assets can then be diverted to the subject.

Workers’ Compensation Fraud

• Some entities purport to provide workers’ compensation insurance at a reduced cost and then misappropriate premium funds without ever providing insurance.

Scam Spotlight—Disaster-Related Fraud: Hurricane Katrina

Massive Storm, Massive Cost

• In late August 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall along America’s Gulf Coast.
• The storm caused approximately $100 billion in economic damages.
• Approximately 1.6 million insurance claims were filed, totaling $34.4 billion in insured losses.
• Of the $80 billion in government funding appropriated for reconstruction, it is estimated that Insurance Fraud may have accounted for as much as $6 billion.

Disaster Fraud Schemes

• False or exaggerated claims by policyholders.
• Misclassification of flood damage as wind, fire, or theft.
• Claims filed by individuals residing hundreds of miles outside the disaster-zone.
• Bid-rigging by contractors, falsely inflating the cost of repairs.
• Contractors requiring upfront payment for services, then failing to perform the agreed upon repairs.
• Charity fraud scams designed to misappropriate funds donated for disaster relief.

The Government Response

• On September 8, 2005, the Attorney General created the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force (HKTF).
• The HKTF was designed to deter, investigate, and prosecute disaster-related federal crimes.
• The HKTF has a zero-tolerance policy for fraud related to Hurricane Katrina.
• In one Katrina-Related fraud case alone, the FBI received more than 70 indictments and over 60 guilty pleas (as of March 2007).

Insurance Fraud Resources

For more information about Insurance Fraud or where to report it, contact the following organizations.
Fraud Bureaus
Check to see if your state sponsors a fraud bureau that investigates insurance fraud—most states do. You may even be eligible for a reward if you report a scam.
Insurance Companies
Go directly to the insurer you think is being defrauded. Some companies have systems in place for reporting fraud. If the company doesn’t have a reporting system or fraud hotline, call or write the company headquarters.
National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB)
(800) 835-6422
The NICB is a non-profit organization that partners with insurance companies and law enforcement to help identify, detect, and prosecute insurance criminals. The NICB web site is an excellent source of information.
Coalition Against Insurance Fraud (CAIF)
www.insurancefraud.org
The CAIF is a national alliance of consumer groups, public interest organizations, government agencies, and insurers dedicated to preventing insurance fraud. The CAIF website offers a wealth of information for consumers.
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)
www.naic.org
The NAIC assists state insurance regulators in serving the public interest and achieving regulatory goals. You can find numerous fraud resources on the NAIC website.
Individuals are always encouraged to report Insurance Frauds to their local FBI offices.

Flash flooding in Raganello Creek in the Calabria region of southern Italy has left at least 10 hikers dead, while others may be missing

Flash Flooding in Southern Italy Leaves at Least 10 Hikers Dead
A Dutch tourist described it as ‘a sudden avalanche of water’
By Jane Gray
Updated: August 21, 2018

Flash flooding in the Calabria region of southern Italy has left at least 10 hikers dead, while others may be missing, officials said. The hikers were hit by a sudden swell in a narrow gorge, resulting from heavy rains upstream.

The civil protection department said 23 people were rescued following the Aug. 20 flooding in Raganello Creek, part of the Pollino National Park; many of them were hospitalized.

Images carried on television show rescuers climbing down steep rocks to try to rescue the hikers from the devastating scene. The tragedy in the popular tourist spot is thought to have involved 36 hikers.

The death toll was revised down to 10 from 11, a number announced erroneously by the civil protection agency earlier on Aug. 21, according to officials.

“It is really difficult terrain, filled with obstacles because of the [geological] formation of the area,” said Eugenio Facciolla, the chief prosecutor of the provincial capital, Cosenza.


He said rescuers working under spotlights were trying to locate areas where some people may have survived, by ending up on small patches of shore or tiny islands in the creek. Rescuers are seen at the Raganello Gorge, a popular hiking spot in Civita, on Aug. 20, 2018. (Kontrolab/AFP/Getty Images)
‘A Sudden Avalanche’

The nationalities of those who have died and were injured weren’t known immediately, but some people caught up in the devastation have spoken to local reporters.

“A sudden avalanche of water came in. We did not have time to do anything, I was really lucky, incredible,” a Dutch tourist told local media. “I’m really speechless and I cry for the people who could not be saved.”

The main square in Civita, the closest town to the gorge, has become a center for aiding those caught up in the flood.

The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported on a heartbreaking scene in the town, in which a woman shouted through tears: “Among the dead, there is a man without hair? … If there’s a man without hair, tell me, it’s my husband.” Rescuers and citizens wait in the central square of Civita, a village in the Italy’s southern Calabria region, on Aug. 20, 2018. (Kontrolab/AFP/Getty Images)


According to the newspaper, another woman told a rescuer she had heard a roar, and then water had come and swept people away.

“I managed to move and cling to a tree, but I saw bodies being dragged away with a crazy violence,” she said.

Those who were injured include an 8-year-old girl, who was found suffering from hypothermia, according to the Italian newspaper Repubblica. The girl, identified only as Chiara by the newspaper, was taken to a hospital in Cosenza.

“I will never forget that tremor and her hand that touched ours while we hoisted her on board,” her rescuer, Pasquale Gagliardi, said in a Facebook post. A rescue helicopter is seen after several people were killed in a mountain gorge flooding, in the municipality of Civita, Calabria, Italy, on Aug. 20, 2018, in this image obtained from social media. (Corpo Nazionale Soccorso Alpino e Speleologico/Reuters)
‘Catapulted Out’

“This gorge filled up with water in a really short space of time and these people were catapulted out like bullets. They ended up some three kilometers (two miles) down the valley,” said Carlo Tansi, head of the civil protection department in Calabria.

Tansi said the gorge was only about four meters (13 feet) wide in some places, increasing the speed of the water and making the rescue more difficult.

He said that the rescue operations continued throughout the night.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into the tragedy.

Last week, a bridge collapsed in the Northern Italian city of Genoa, killing 43 people.

Reuters contributed to this report.

THE FATAL CRASH OF AERONCA 7AC AIRPLANE IN ALEXANDIA, MN THAT KILLED PILOT KENNETH JAMES RYAN, 64

 The pilot, identified as 64-year-old Kenneth James Ryan of Alexandria, was the only person in the plane. Authorities say the plane apparently struck a power pole before landing in a ditch.



Kenneth James Ryan of Alexandria passed away unexpectedly on July 28th while piloting his plane in LaGrand Township, rural Alexandria. Born July 18, 1954 to Jim and Elaine Ryan, Ken grew up in Lansing, IA, on the banks of the Mississippi River. He received a BS in chemistry from Loras College and his MD from the University of Iowa Medical School. He married Heidi Brown in 1984, and the couple lived together in Iowa City before moving to Alexandria in 1991, where they raised two children.

Ken was a lifelong learner, and will be remembered for his many talents and interests. He worked as a river barge deckhand, Air Force computer technician, physician, and manufacturing automation consultant; most recently he was an Anatomy and Physiology instructor at Alexandria Technical and Community College, where he could share his love of learning and passion for teaching.

Beyond his professional life, Ken enjoyed many hobbies, including flying, reading, woodworking, skydiving, scuba diving, gardening, and plane restoration. He had a special appreciation for natural beauty and enjoyed frequent hikes and runs in Minnesota parks. Ken served the Alexandria community for a number of years on the City Planning Commission, and volunteered regularly at Butterfly Hill Nature Preschool where he could reach a new generation of students.====================

On July 28, 2018, about 1923 central daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC single-engine airplane,
N85506, impacted powerlines and terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude near Alexandria,
Minnesota. The pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane
was registered to a private individual and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of
Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Day   visual
meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local area flight departed
Chandler Field Airport (AXN), Alexandria, Minnesota, about 1918.

There were multiple witnesses who saw and/or heard the airplane flying at low altitude before the
accident. Two witnesses reported that the airplane had approached their cabin on the north shore of
Lake Latoka from the northeast and overflew their cabin at treetop level, which they estimated to
be about 50 ft above the ground. One witness stated that the airplane had "barely cleared the
trees" when the airplane overflew his cabin. The witnesses reported that the airplane then
descended below treetop level while flying south over Lake Latoka. The witnesses stated that they
observed the airplane complete at least two low passes over a house located at the southwest side
of the lake.

Another witness, who acknowledged being a friend of the pilot, owned the house located on the
southwest side of Lake Latoka. The witness was inside his house eating dinner when he heard an
airplane overfly his house. He reported that it was common for the pilot to overfly his house at a
low altitude. The witness stated that the airplane's engine sounded normal when it overflew his
house. He noted that he had a "very bad feeling" that the airplane had crashed when his house
lights flickered shortly after the airplane overflew his house. The accident site was located about
a mile north-northwest of his house.

Three additional witnesses reported seeing the airplane approach their position, about 1/4 mile
northeast of the accident site, at a low altitude and slow airspeed. These witnesses reported that
the airplane was flying toward the northwest when it descended behind a small ridge and collided
with powerlines. Two of the witnesses reported that they couldn't hear the engine as the airplane
approached their position; however, they noted they had music playing at the  time. The witnesses
reported that they heard an audible "thud" when the airplane impacted the
ground.


The accident site was located in a grass drainage ditch northwest of the intersection of Townhall
Road and 10th Avenue SW. There were multiple powerlines and a fractured power pole strung across
the road on a northwest heading. The main wreckage, which consisted of the entire airplane, was
found inverted in the drainage ditch facing south. There was no evidence of an inflight or
postimpact fire. Flight control cable continuity was established from each flight control surface
to its respective cockpit control. Both main landing gear oleo-struts and the propeller exhibited
damage consistent with an inflight wire impact. There was no evidence of a wire strike on either
wing or the empennage. The recording tachometer indicated 2,665.72 hours. The forward seat throttle
was positioned about 3/4 full travel. The airplane was not equipped with a mixture control. The
primer control was IN and secured. The magneto switch was on BOTH. The carburetor heat control was
OFF. The cabin heat control was OFF. The airplane was not equipped with an electric master switch,
but the single 10 ampere circuit breaker was not tripped. The single communication radio was
selected to the common traffic advisory frequency (123.0 megahertz). The airplane was not equipped
with a transponder. The fuel shutoff valve was ON. Fuel was recovered from the main/header tank and
both right and left auxiliary wing tanks. The fuel samples were blue in color and had an odor
consistent with 100 low-lead aviation fuel. The fuel caps were installed and secured on all fuel
tanks. The fuel selectors for the auxiliary wing tanks were in the OFF position. A functional test
of the fuel shutoff valve did not reveal any anomalies and confirmed fuel flow from the main/header
tank. The fuselage mounted gascolator had shattered during impact and fuel was observed flowing
from the fuel supply line. The postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would
have precluded normal airplane operation during the flight.

The engine remained attached to the firewall. The propeller remained attached to the propeller
flange. One propeller blade was bent aft about midspan and exhibited chordwise scratching  and
leading-edge gouging that was consistent with an inflight wire strike. The other propeller blade
exhibited a slight aft bend, a single leading-edge gouge, and minor chordwise scratching near the
blade tip. Internal engine and valve train continuity were confirmed as the propeller was rotated.
Compression and suction were noted on all cylinders in conjunction with crankshaft rotation, and
acceptable cylinder pressures were measured using a differential pressure gauge. The induction
manifold and intake pipes exhibited signatures of normal operation, with no excessive fuel staining
observed. The upper spark plugs were removed and exhibited features consistent with normal engine
operation. A borescope inspection of each cylinder did not reveal any anomalies with the cylinders,
pistons, valves, valve seats, or lower spark plugs. The right magneto attached to its installation
point and provided spark on all  posts while the crankshaft was rotated. The left magneto remained
attached to the engine; however, the impulse coupling did not function as the crankshaft was
rotated. The left magneto was removed and provided a spark on all posts when rotated by hand. Right
magneto-to- engine timing was confirmed to be at top-dead-center on the number 1 cylinder. A full
teardown of the engine did not reveal any internal component failures. Adequate lubrication oil was
observed throughout the engine and there was no evidence of oil starvation or excessive       heat.
No metal material was observed after a magnet was passed through the engine sump. The oil filter
tube pickup and oil filter screen were free of metallic material. Throttle control cable continuity
was confirmed from the cockpit to the carburetor throttle arm. The carburetor mixture arm was
safety-wired in the full rich position. The carburetor bowl contained about   1/2 fluid ounce of
fuel; however, the airplane had been inverted for nearly 24 hours before being recovered. 

The carburetor bowl did not contain evidence of water or particulate contamination. Disassembly of the carburetor did not reveal any anomalies with the single- piece venturi, metal floats, or needle valve. The post-accident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation during the flight.

According to FAA records, the 64-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with single-
engine land airplane, single-engine sea airplane, and instrument airplane ratings. His most recent
FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on October 28, 2016, with a limitation for
corrective lenses. A search of FAA records showed no previous accidents, incidents, or enforcement
proceedings. A pilot logbook was not recovered during the on-scene investigation.

The 1946-model-year airplane, serial number 7AC-4246, was a high-wing monoplane of fabric- covered
steel tube and wood construction. The airplane was powered by a 90-horsepower, 4- cylinder,
Continental C90-8F reciprocating engine, serial number 47229-9-8. The engine provided thrust
through a fixed-pitch, two-blade, Sensenich 76AK-2-43 propeller, serial number 23704. The two-seat
airplane was equipped with a fixed conventional landing gear.
The airplane had a maximum allowable takeoff weight of 1,300 pounds. According to maintenance
documentation, the last annual inspection was completed on June 28, 2018, at 5,980 total airframe
hours. The airplane had accumulated 11.72 hours since the last annual inspection. The airframe had
accumulated a total service time of 5,991.72 hours when the accident occurred. The engine had
accumulated 791.72 hours since being overhauled on January 17, 1978. A postaccident review of the
maintenance records found no history of unresolved airworthiness issues.

A postaccident review of available meteorological data established that day visual meteorological
conditions prevailed at the accident site. The nearest aviation weather reporting station was
located at Chandler Field Airport (AXN) about 3 miles southeast of the accident site. At 1853,
about 30 minutes before the accident, the AXN automated surface observing system reported: wind
350° at 4 knots, 10 miles surface visibility, a clear sky, temperature
26°C, dew point 12°C, and an altimeter setting 30.13 inches of mercury.

Steel worker was crushed to death by a one-ton steel beam at Continental Steel Fabrication in Kansas City, MO

Steel worker dies after 2,000-pound beam falls at KC business
August 21, 2018

by Stephanie Graflage


A 2,000-pound steel beam fell on a worker Monday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — 

OSHA confirmed to FOX4 Tuesday that the Kansas City man injured Monday when a 2,000-pound steel beam fell on him has died.

The tragic incident happened at Continental Steel Fabrication near Dora and Highland at about 4:30 p.m.

Emergency crews took the man to the hospital after the incident, but he later died from his injuries.

Authorities have not yet released the victim’s identity or said what caused the steel beam to fall.

OSHA is on the scene talking to potential witnesses and the employer to determine if safety standards were followed. They are also working to determine the cause of the deadly incident.

Continental Steel has an over 125,000 square foot manufacturing facility, with overhead bridge cranes. It is located between the Northeast Industrial Bottoms and Downtown Kansas City. The two floor office area above the manufacturing plant is 30,000 square feet.

Second missing saylor aboard the cruiser USS Lake Erie, after helicopter crew chief Cpl. Jonathan Currier went missing from the amphibious assault shipUSS Essex in the Sulu Sea.

U.S. Navy Reports Second Man-Overboard in Two Weeks

USS Lake Erie under way off Hawaii during RIMPAC 2018, July 26 (USN)

By MarEx 
August 20, 2018

The U.S. Navy reported Monday that it is once again engaged in a search and rescue effort for a missing sailor in the Pacific theater, less than two weeks after a marine went missing from the amphib USS Essex in the Sulu Sea.

At about 0700 hours local time Sunday, a sailor aboard the cruiser USS Lake Erie failed to report for duty. The crew conducted several extensive searches of the vessel but could not locate the individual, and the ship initiated man-overboard procedures.

The Lake Erie was under way in the Eastern Pacific at the time of the incident as part of the USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group. Vessels and aircraft from the CSG are conducting a SAR operation with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard.

The family of the missing sailor has been notified but the Navy has not yet released the individual's identity to the public.

Missing marine identified

 Helicopter crew chief Cpl. Jonathan Currier went missing from the amphibious assault ship USS Essex in the Sulu Sea.

On Sunday, the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit identified the marine who went missing from the USS Essex on August 9.

The victim, helicopter crew chief Cpl. Jonathan Currier, was deployed with the 13th MEU's Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166 aboard the Essex. When he went missing, the Navy launched a search in the Sulu Sea and Surigao Strait. Phillipine and Singaporean authorities supported the effort. The search lasted five days and covered more than 13,000 square nautical miles, with more than 110 sorties and 300 flight hours. It was called off on August 13, and Cpl. Currier was declared deceased on August 17.

Cpl. Currier was the recipient of the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

“Our hearts go out to the Currier family,” said Col. Chandler Nelms, commanding officer of the 13th MEU. “Cpl. Currier’s loss is felt by our entire [crew], and he will not be forgotten.” 

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



The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2) maneuvers into position to conduct a fueling-at-sea with Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD 47) during an amphibious squadron and Marine expeditionary unit (MEU) integration (PMINT) exercise. US Navy Photo

A Marine who was reported missing from USS Essex (LHD-2) while operating in the Sulu Sea, has been identified as Cpl. Jonathan Currier and declared deceased, according to a statement from U.S. Pacific Fleet.

Currier, a New Hampshire native, was first reported missing on Aug. 9. He was declared deceased by the Marine Corps on Aug. 17, after an extensive search of the Sulu Sea, Mindanao Strait and the Surigao Strait, according to a Pacific Fleet statement.

Currier was a Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion crew chief. At the time he was reported missing, Currier was deployed with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166 Reinforced, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) aboard Essex. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in August 2015.

“Our hearts go out to the Currier family,” Col. Chandler Nelms, commanding officer of 13th MEU, said in a statement. “Cpl. Currier’s loss is felt by our entire ARG/MEU family, and he will not be forgotten.”

The Essex ARG and 13th MEU departed San Diego, Calif. on July 10. The ARG includes amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD-23) and dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47).

For five days, units from the Essex Amphibious Ready Group, the 13th MEU and the Philippines Coast Guard conducted a search for Currier covering an area of 13,000 square miles, launching more than 110 aerial sorties and 300 flight hours, according to Pacific Fleet.

An investigation of the incident is ongoing.

The following is the complete Aug. 19, 2018 statement.


SULU SEA – The Marine at the center of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) search in the Mindanao Sea since Aug. 9 has been identified as Cpl. Jonathan Currier.

On Aug. 17, Currier who was previously listed as Duty Status Whereabouts Unknown (DUSTWUN) was declared deceased.

Currier, a New Hampshire native and a Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion crew chief, enlisted in the Marine Corps on August 2015 and graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, in November of that year. He completed School of Infantry at Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Aviation and A&C School in Pensacola, Fla.; and Center for Naval Aviation Training in Jacksonville, N.C.

Currier was assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 at Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, and was deployed at the time of his disappearance with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 166 Reinforced, 13th MEU, aboard the USS Essex (LHD 2).

Currier’s awards include the National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

“Our hearts go out to the Currier family,” said Col. Chandler Nelms, commanding officer, 13th MEU. “Cpl. Currier’s loss is felt by our entire ARG/MEU family, and he will not be forgotten.”

The extensive search effort concluded, August 13. The search lasted five days and covered more than 13,000 square nautical miles with more than 110 sorties and 300 flight hours.

The circumstances surrounding the incident are currently being investigated.

An official photo of Cpl. Currier is not available.

Cause of fatal Ridgefield, WA house fire that killed Stefany Cutler-Ffitch, 23, and her dog Mario, could not be determined

Stefany Cutler-Ffitch, 23, had run inside to retrieve dogs still inside and she died along with one of them

Cause of fatal Ridgefield house fire undetermined



By Andy Matarrese, Columbian Breaking News Reporter

August 20, 2018

 
Ridgefield, WA
 
Investigators couldn’t find enough evidence in the wreckage of a Ridgefield house fire that killed a woman earlier this month to clearly determine its cause. 

The fire was reported early Aug. 8 at 29305 N.W. 41st Ave. Firefighters found the home burning intensely, and a man lying on the ground after jumping from a second-floor window to escape.

He told firefighters that Stefany Cutler-Ffitch, 23, had run inside to retrieve dogs still inside.

Cutler-Ffitch did not make it back outside, and firefighters could not rescue her. She died of smoke inhalation, according to the Clark County medical examiner.

Two dogs escaped the fire, but another, a pug named Mario, died.

Deputy Clark County Fire Marshal Alicia Perry said there was too little definitive evidence to explain how the fire started so it will remain undetermined.

Friends set up a GoFundMe fundraising page to help surviving family get back on their feet, under “David, Brenda & family.” 

"On Wed. Aug. 8, 2018, Our good friends and neighbors David and Brenda McPeake lost their home, contents, and their vehicles to a tragic fire while they were on vacation.
Austen, Brenda's son and her niece  Stefany
were at home when the fire broke out approx. 4am. 
Austen had gotten out safely, and are heartbroken to say that Stefany and her pug Mario did not make it."

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




Medical examiner IDs 23-year-old woman who died in Ridgefield house fire 

August 13, 2018
By FOX 12 Staff


Ridgefield, WA

 
The Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the 23-year-old woman who died of smoke inhalation in a Ridgefield house fire.

Emergency crews responded to the 29300 block of Northwest 41st Avenue at 3:50 a.m. Wednesday.

The two-story home was fully involved in flames when firefighters arrived. Firefighters said two men jumped from a second-story window to escape, and one of them sustained a leg injury.

Stefany R. Cutler-Ffitch of Ridgefield was initially reported as missing, before her body was later found. Firefighters said the woman went back into the home to look for a dog.

The medical examiner listed Cutler-Ffitch’s cause of death as an accident due to smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire has not yet been released.


 

A woman was electrocuted and died after she touched an air conditioner that began to smoke in a motel room at Economy Inn & Suites in North Carolina

She tried to fix the A/C in her NC motel room - and got electrocuted, police say


By Joe Marusak

jmarusak@charlotteobserver.com



August 20, 2018 09:02 PM

A woman was electrocuted and died on Monday after she touched an air conditioner that began to smoke in a North Carolina motel room, police said.

The woman “tried to reset” the air conditioner in the Economy Inn & Suites off Interstate 95 in Nash County when the unit shocked her, WRAL reported. The motel is on N.C. 48 near Rocky Mount.

The 31-year-old woman went into cardiac arrest after she was shocked, a spokesperson for the city of Rocky Mount told ABC-TV affiliate WTVD. A 7-year-old girl was hospitalized, the station reported. The child’s condition has yet to be released, according to WRAL.


An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, WTVD reported.
Breaking News

The death called to mind another incident involving faulty equipment at a North Carolina hotel.

In April 2013, carbon monoxide leaked from a poorly vented pool heater into a room at the Best Western in Boone, The Charlotte Observer reported. Daryl and Shirley Jenkins, a couple in their 70s, died from their exposure. Less than two months later, in the same hotel room, the deadly gas claimed another victim – 11-year-old Jeffrey Williams, according to the Observer.

Following the deaths, Best Western required all of its hotels to install and maintain carbon monoxide detectors in every guest room and all areas where fuel-burning equipment operates, according to the Observer.

Despite the heightened attention brought by deaths at a Best Western in Boone, NC, in 2013, carbon monoxide poisoning continues to afflict scores of hotel guests. Jeannie Williams opens up about her son, and others who were killed by carbon monoxi
By Matt Walsh

Yet in 2017, a Texas couple died months after being exposed to carbon monoxide that leaked from a hotel pool heater at a Best Western in Perryton, Texas, the Observer reported.

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





Woman killed after being shocked at Nash County motel by air conditioner
 

By Adam Owens, WRAL reporter

Rocky Mount, N.C. — 

A woman was killed and a young child staying at a Nash County motel was hurt Monday when they were shocked by an air conditioner in the room, authorities and family members said.

The two were guests in a room at the Economy Inn Hotel and Suites, located off of Interstate 95 in Nash County, when the incident occurred.

There was apparently an issue with an air conditioner in the room and the woman tried to reset the unit when she was electrocuted. The two were rushed for treatment to a local hospital, although the child's condition was not immediately released.

A family member of the woman told WRAL News that she died after being shocked.

"You've got families living in here and she was doing the right thing," said her cousin, Tony Williams. "She lost her life in her room."

Several officers were seen going into the room during their investigation. An electrician was also at the scene.

It was not clear if charges would be filed in connection with the woman's death.

The identities of the victims were pending.

A motel employee declined to comment.

Unmanned, orange beached kayak found in the vicinity of Meynig Drive in Crystal Beach, Texas; Coast Gurad cannot find his body

HOUSTON, TEXAS —

The Coast Guard has suspended the search for the owner of an unmanned, beached kayak found in the vicinity of Meynig Drive in Crystal Beach, Texas, pending the development of new information.

Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received notification from the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office at 5:00 a.m. of an orange kayak found in the vicinity of Meynig Drive.

An Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew and a Coast Guard Station 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew were launched to search the area.

Involved in the search were:

• Coast Guard Station Galveston 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boat crew
• Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew
• Galveston County Sheriff’s Office

Pilot Theodore Rich, 54, and the passenger, Elaine Carpenter, 49, killed after their recently purchased experimental Causey-built Stolp SA-750 Acroduster Too plane, nose-dived to roadway terrain south of Phoenix-Deer Valley Airport (KDVT), Phoenix, Arizona

Pilot Theodore Rich, 54, and the passenger, Elaine Carpenter, 49, killed after their recently purchased experimental Causey-built Stolp SA-750 Acroduster Too plane, nose-dived to roadway terrain south of Phoenix-Deer Valley Airport (KDVT), Phoenix, Arizona

UPDATE: Police identify man, woman killed in small plane crash 

Elaine Carpenter, 49, killed.  She was a motorcycle instructor at Sbktraining

The plane that crashed and killed the two people

August 21, 2018
By azfamily.com News Staff

By Shane DeGrote, Content Producer

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) -

The two victims in Monday morning's small plane crash have been identified.

The pilot has been identified as 54-year-old, Theodore Rich and the passenger has been identified as 49-year-old Elaine Carpenter.

Both victims died after a homebuilt small plane went down in the roadway near Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix early Monday morning.

"When I first heard it sputtering, I thought, 'is a plane going to come down on me?' Those were my first thoughts," said witness James Blake.

The small plane went down just before 7 a.m. near Seventh Street and Deer Valley Road.

Aerials over the scene showed multiple medical personnel working on extricating one of the victims.


The FAA says the plane was a single-engine, homebuilt experimental Acroduster.

Officials say the pilot was practicing "touch-and-go" maneuvers when the crash occurred.

"When I looked up it was in the sky, they had just made a turn to come back in on his approach, and he was sputtering. I’ve never heard them sputter before," Blake continued

Carpenter was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rich was rushed to the hospital, but he later died.

No one on the ground was hurt.
Friends and family remember the victims

Family and friends of the victims tell us Rich owned Sportbike Performance Center in north Phoenix and just bought the plane over the weekend in California.

"He was passionate about motorcycles and planes; he just bought this plane Saturday which is, like, really upsetting," said Rich's friend Cordel Shafer. "He loved planes. He loved riding motorcycles; he has like eight of them. It's just, it’s heartbreaking that it happened, but at the same time, it’s the way you’d want it."

“If there’s anybody that I’ve known in my entire life that I can say lived every single day to the fullest, it was Ted,” says Dave Steele, owner of The Helmet Center.

Steele says Rich was a mentor to him, helping him out when he opened his own motorcycle shop. Steele says he was inspired by Rich’s adventurous and fun spirit.

“The guy’s doing the same thing I’m doing in the industry and I’m working and he's out living the dream,” says Steele.

Carpenter was a skilled veterinary surgeon who helped countless animals.

“When you saw Elaine, she was always very positive,” says Soleil Dolce with the Arizona Equine Rescue Organization, which cares for animals seized by law enforcement for abuse and neglect cases.

Dolce says Dr. Carpenter worked on several horses under AERO’s care and was also an educator teaching the next generation of veterinarians.

“She was always very good at explaining what was going on and I think she just really connected with horses and had a passion for helping them,” says Dolce.

"It hasn’t hit me yet, but it’s pretty upsetting," said Shafer of the tragedy.
The crash's impact on the ground

At least two vehicles were struck by the plane while it crashed. Van Hook said no one inside the vehicles reported any injuries.

He said no flames were reported following the crash, however, fuel did spill over the roadway.


"We did have hazmat crews come out and monitor the air," Van Hook said. "We will leave a crew on scene to be a liaison for that hazmat component."

Road closures were reported in the area throughout the morning,

But by 1:45 p.m., Phoenix police reported that the intersection of Seventh Street and Deer Valley had reopened.


Heather Lissner, a spokeswoman for Deer Valley Airport, said there was no impact to flight travels from or to Deer Valley Airport.

A spokesperson from the NTSB tells us they will release a preliminary report in about two weeks.

The full investigation may take about a year.





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

Narrative:

The aircraft, an experimental Causey built Acroduster Too, impacted motor vehicles during an apparent force landing to roadway terrain south of Phoenix-Deer Valley Airport (KDVT), Phoenix, Arizona. The airplane sustained substantial damage and one of the two occupants onboard was fatally injured. The second occupant onboard the the aircraft died at the hospital shortly after.



Sources:
https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/north-phoenix/aircraft-down-near-7th-street_deer-valley
http://www.azfamily.com/story/38919458/reported-plane-down-on-road-near-deer-valley-airport-in-phoenix
http://ktar.com/story/2184119/1-killed-1-injured-after-small-plane-crashes-on-phoenix-street/
_____________________________________
https://www.google.com/maps/place/N+7th+Ave+%26+W+Deer+Valley+Rd,+Phoenix,+AZ+85027/@33.6836834,-112.0829206,16z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x872b6f9084c66859:0x37c4e68dd2495843?hl=en-us&gl=us
http://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/Aircraft/7/N787WM.shtm
http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/photo/000068123L.html
Date: 20-AUG-2018
Time: 06:50 LT
Type: Stolp SA-750 Acroduster Too
Owner/operator: Private
Registration: N787WM
C/n / msn: SA750-083176JC
Fatalities: Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: South of Phoenix-Deer Valley Airport (KDVT), Phoenix, AZ - United States of America
Phase: Landing
Nature: Unknown
Departure airport:

Destination airport: