Painter Kenneth J. Woltering, 48, of Carlyle, employed by Wastequip, Inc. died as he was painting the bottom of a dumpster raised on a lift here when it fell and crushed him to death in E. St. Louis

Worker painting underside of dumpster dies when it falls, crushes him in E. St. Louis

By Nassim Benchaabane St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Aug 24, 2018


EAST ST. LOUIS, MO

An employee was painting the bottom of a dumpster raised on a lift here when it fell and crushed him to death Friday, police say.


St. Clair County Coroner Calvin Dye Sr. identified the employee as Kenneth J. Woltering, 48, of Carlyle.


Woltering was painting the bottom of a steel dumpster at a Wastequip facility at 2701 Converse Avenue when it fell, Dye said. Woltering had been underneath the dumpster, when the lift holding it up failed.


He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 2 p.m.


Dye referred requests for further details to East St. Louis Police. Authorities there were not immediately available for comment.


A man who answered the phone at Wastequip's East St. Louis location said the company had no comment before hanging up on a reporter.


An investigator with the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration responded to the facility for a report of a fatality, said Aaron Priddy, area director of the agency's office in Fairview Heights.


Priddy said Wastequip constructs steel dumpsters in East St. Louis but he did not have more details on the fatal incident pending an investigation. 







Welcome to Wastequip

Founded in 1989, Wastequip is the leading manufacturer of waste handling equipment in North America. We specialize in products, systems and solutions to help you collect, store, transport, and manage a wide range of waste and recyclables. Wastequip is one of the few companies that manufactures a complete line of both steel and plastic waste handling equipment. We built our stress-free solutions with you in mind, making Wastequip the perfect place for one-stop sourcing. Wastequip’s extensive product selection includes dumpsters, compactors, balers, carts and more. Our products are built to handle collection of household, commercial, and industrial waste and recyclables. Our experienced sales team specializes in assisting customers in finding the right solution for your waste or recycling needs. With facilities across North America, we have the product you need when and where you need it

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

Kenneth J. Woltering

Kenneth J. "Kenny" Woltering, 58, of Beaver Prairie, born January 28, 1960, in Breese, IL, died Friday, August 24, 2018, in E. St. Louis, IL.

Kenny worked as a painter for over 30 years at Wastequip, Inc. in E. St. Louis. He enjoyed deer hunting, camping, floating, stock car racing, playing football in his younger years, but most of all spending time with his grandson.

His preceded in death by his father, Theodore "Ted" Woltering; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Ralph and Henrietta, nee Niemeyer, Eilers; and sister-in-law, Diane Eilers.

Methvin Sanitation employee, 48-year-old Steve Allen, died after a dumpster fell on him as he emptied it into his garbage truck at the Calico Rock Public School

Sanitation worker dies working at Arkansas school
August 25th, 2018 by Associated Press in Arkansas News


CALICO ROCK, Ark.—

A sanitation worker has died while working at a northern Arkansas elementary school.

The Baxter Bulletin reports that 48-year-old Steve Allen died Wednesday after a dumpster fell on him as he emptied it into his garbage truck. A Calico Rock Public School employee found the Methvin Sanitation employee unconscious at the campus.

Izard County Chief Deputy Earnie Blackley says the investigation is ongoing but no foul play is suspected.

Methvin Sanitation Inc. located in Harrison, Arkansas was established in 1987, and incorporated in November 1993.  

Steven David Allen

Mountain Home, Arkansas - A Funeral Service for Steven David Allen of Mountain Home, Arkansas, will be 10:00 am, Friday, August 31, 2018, at Kirby & Family Funeral Home, with Jim Loitz officiating. Visitation will be Thursday, August 30, 2018, from 5:00 until 8:00 pm, at Kirby & Family Funeral Home.

Steve passed away August 22, 2018, in Calico Rock, Arkansas, at the age of 48. He was born September 25, 1969, in Vivian, Louisiana, the son of John and Patty Robertson Allen. Steve was raised and graduated in Mountain Home. He was a truck driver. Steve lived most of his life in Mountain Home, with a brief time in Springfield, Missouri. He was an employee of the Mountain Home School District. He enjoyed sports, kayaking, and cooking. He loved to watch NASCAR, the Razorbacks, and Cardinals.

18-year-old Arlen J. Bradley died after being run over by a bus he was overhauling at Wilkins Rebuilders Supply in south suburban Chicago Heights

 18-year-old Arlen J. Bradley died after being run over by a bus he was overhauling at Wilkins Rebuilders Supply in south suburban Chicago Heights

Man run over while overhauling bus at Chicago Heights junkyard


By Alice Yin

A man died after being run over by a bus he was overhauling Friday afternoon at a junkyard in south suburban Chicago Heights.

Officers responded at 2:17 p.m. to the incident at Wilkins Rebuilders Supply, 171 E. 12th St., according to Chicago Heights police and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office.

When they arrived, officers learned that an employee driving a front end loader started moving the bus without realizing that 18-year-old Arlen J. Bradley was working underneath it, police said. The loader’s operator then moved the bus forward, causing the rear wheels to run Bradley over.

Bradley was taken to Franciscan Health Chicago Heights, where he died at 2:47 p.m. Friday, authorities said. He lived in Cedar Lake, Indiana.

An autopsy conducted Saturday found that Bradley died from blunt force injuries to the head and torso, and his death was ruled an accident, the medical examiner’s office said.

Police reported the incident to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Anyone with information should call Chicago Heights detectives at (708) 756-6422.

A 33-year-old construction worker died from an apparent electrical shock at the Utah State Archives and Records Service building in Salt Lake City, Utah

A 33-year-old construction worker died from an apparent electrical shock in Salt Lake City
By Linda Williams, KSL.com

August 28, 2018


SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — 

A 33-year-old construction worker died from an electrical shock at a job site in Salt Lake City, officials said Tuesday morning.

The man was a sub-contractor doing electrical work for an expansion being built at the state archives located at 346 S. Rio Grande Street, said Salt Lake City Police detective Greg Wilking.

It appears the man died Monday afternoon from an electrical shock, but was working alone in the corner of a room that is not easily visible, according to Wilking. Co-workers did not notice him and closed the construction site for the night.

The man's wife contacted the company when her husband did not come home, but the company had no information. Co-workers searched the construction site Tuesday morning and found the man's body.

His name has not yet been released.

Power at the construction site was turned off Tuesday morning as police investigated.

Wilking said the death appears to be an unfortunate accident.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

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





SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (News4Utah) -

Police are investigating after a body was found in Salt Lake City Tuesday morning.

According to Sgt. Brandon Shearer, Salt Lake City Police, it appears there was an industrial accident at 349 South Rio Grande where a subcontractor was working at the Utah State Archives and Records Service building.

The family called police when the man did not return from work Monday night.


When workers returned to the area Tuesday morning, they found the man who had died from what appears to be an electrocution.

The incident is still under investigation by police and OSHA who will be conducting their own investigation. The man's identity has not been released pending notification of family.

This is developing, an update will be provided once more information becomes available.




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



Construction worker electrocuted on downtown job site in Salt Lake City

By Gephardt Daily Staff
- August 28, 2018

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, 

Aug. 28, 2018 (Gephardt Daily) — 

A construction worker has died from electrocution at his job site, according to Salt Lake City Police.

“He was a 33-year-old subcontractor for the electrician,” St. Brandon Shearer, Salt Lake City Police Department, told Gephardt Daily. “He was working in the state archives building, in an area away from the view of others.”

Shearer said he believed the man died on the job yesterday. His family had been looking for him overnight. The man’s body was found at 6:30 a.m. Tuesday by his coworkers, Shearer said.

The victim’s identity has not been released, nor have more details of his death. Gephardt Daily will have more on this story as information becomes available.

OSHA has cited Thorpe Specialty Services Corp. and Steel Dust Recycling LLC for fall and confined space hazards after an employee was hospitalized following a 30-foot fall at Steel Dust’s Millport, Alabama, facility.

August 28, 2018

U.S. Department of Labor Cites Thorpe Plant Services and Steel Dust
Recycling After Employee Hospitalized For Fall

MILLPORT, AL – The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited Thorpe Specialty Services Corp. - operating as Thorpe Plant Services Inc. - and Steel Dust Recycling LLC for fall and confined space hazards after an employee was hospitalized following a 30-foot fall at Steel Dust’s Millport, Alabama, facility. Thorpe Plant Services faces $175,528 in proposed penalties; Steel Dust’s penalties total $28,270.

OSHA cited Thorpe the maximum allowable penalty for exposing employees to fall hazards. The Agency also cited the company for failing to conduct atmospheric monitoring before allowing employees to enter a confined space; failing to develop a permit prior to employees entering a confined space; and to ensure emergency services were provided when employees entered a permit-required confined space. OSHA cited Steel Dust for exposing employees to fall hazards, failing to implement their permit space entry program, and not advising Thorpe that the required work involved a permit space entry.

“Both companies’ failure to comply with fall prevention requirements led to a serious injury that could have been prevented,” said OSHA Birmingham Area Office Director Ramona Morris.

The companies have 15 business days from receipt of the citations and proposed penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education, and assistance. For more information, visit https://www.osha.gov.




The SDR plant utilizes a Waelz Kiln to reclaim zinc and other metals from EAF dust. While not a new technology, the Waelz Kiln process is the primary metals reclamation process that has proven economically sound for processing steel dust waste.

The Steel Dust Recycling plant consists of a conditioning, blending and pelletizing facility for the EAF dust to be processed, a Waelz Kiln for processing the steel dust, storage and loading facilities for products to be sold, and the latest environmental control systems. The facility is located on 66 acres near Millport, Alabama. The SDR site has direct access to four major rail carriers and is near multiple Interstate highways.

Developed in 1910, the Waelz Kiln is a proven technology for high-temperature metals recovery (HTMR) of EAF waste. The result is more highly concentrated zinc oxides which are used as raw materials for zinc smelters. While many other technologies have been successfully tested for processing steel dust, none have proven as economically feasible as the Waelz Kiln process, which remains the best demonstrated available technology for recycling steel dust.

Strong winds caused significant damage at the Red Wing Regional Airport in Minnesota

August 27, 2018

RED WING, Minn. (KMSP) - 

Monday's severe storms made quite the impact in Red Wing, Minnesota.

Strong winds pushed the door into a hangar at the Red Wing Regional Airport and blew a portion of the roof off. Two of the jets were damaged in the process, and the entire floor is drenched in rainwater.

A hangar that was under construction collapsed, spreading insulation throughout the area.

An empty tanker truck came off Highway 41 in Downtown Fresno and landed on Van Ness Avenue below in California

Monday, August 27, 2018

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- 

A big rig came off Highway 41 in Downtown Fresno and landed on Van Ness Avenue below during the middle of the Monday morning commute.

The tanker truck was used to carry aviation fuel but was empty at the time of the incident.

The truck was traveling southbound on the busy highway before it crashed onto the street below at around 7:30 am.

The driver of the tanker was injured and taken to a hospital, but the extent of his injuries are not yet known.



At this time it is not known what caused the big rig to careen off the highway, but the California Highway Patrol is looking into three other vehicles that may have been involved.

"What we do know is at one point, when (the truck) leaves the roadway, a good portion of the component from the vehicle gets launched back out onto the freeway and hits another big rig," said Sgt. Leonard Sherman of the California Highway Patrol. "There's also a collision between two cars, two passenger vehicles, but we are not sure what happened first."

Both directions of Highway 41 were briefly closed after the accident, but have since reopened. Van Ness is expected to be closed for a few hours as crews work to remove the wrecked truck.

This story will be updated.

Babette Guerrero, a Teaneck woman who was struck by a NJ Transit train in River Edge is suing for negligence and reckless conduct, claiming that NJ Transit failed to activate the gates and warning systems in time.

A Teaneck woman who survived being struck by an NJ Transit train in River Edge is suing for negligence and reckless conduct, claiming the state transportation agency failed to activate the gates and warning systems in time.

Babette Guerrero's attorney said she had rushed across the platform at the New Bridge Landing station in December to catch a morning train into New York City when she was hit by a train traveling 40 mph.

Philip Wiskow, Guerrero's attorney, said NJ Transit is culpable even though Guerrero had slipped under the falling gate. The conductor, he said, should have triggered the alert signals while father away from the platform. Rather, the train pulled up to the station seconds after the gate fell, Wiskow said.

“You don’t just put the gate down as the train is 50 feet away,” he said. “These whistles and bells should have been on for at least 30 seconds, if not longer.”

The lawsuit, filed last Tuesday in Superior Court, charges the conductor and NJ Transit at large with “failing to reasonably operate one or more of its gates and warning system.”

An NJ Transit spokesperson declined to comment.

Guerrero, 57, worked as an executive in New York, Wiskow said. The accident left her with 26 fractures and hospitalized her for weeks, followed by months of rehab and multiple follow-up surgeries.

The injuries are “severe and painful” and have resulted in lost time from her job and exorbitant medical expenses, the suit states.

Before Guerrero's accident, the River Edge station had no reported accidents in the previous five years, according to federal data.

The last known fatality occurred in 2012, when a woman was struck about 500 feet from the station as the train crossed Main Street. 

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


December 13, 2017

RIVER EDGE, NJ — 

NJ Transit service resumed on the Pascack Valley Line Wednesday morning in town after someone was hit at the New Bridge Landing Station, officials said.

NJ Transit officials said on Twitter the incident happened around 8 a.m. at the station. Service was temporarily suspended in both directions between River Edge and Secaucus.


Passengers had to get out into the bitter cold, where buses would take them to their destination.

NJ Transit service resumed just before 9:30 a.m. officials said on Twitter. Delays of up to an hour are expected.

A Northvale man, 23, riding a 2017 Yamaha FZ1 motorcycle at a high rate of speed was killed in a Friday night T-bone collision with a 2017 Infiniti QX6 SUV on Herbert Avenue in Closter, New Jersey

A typical 2017 Yamaha FZ1 motorcycle


CLOSTER, NEW JERSEY —



A Northvale man riding a motorcycle was killed in a Friday night crash with an SUV on Herbert Avenue, authorities said.

Late Friday night, authorities canvassed the scene, shining lights on the black SUV with front-end damage as they placed numbered markers around the vehicle.

An unmarked police vehicle attempted to stop a 2017 Yamaha FZ1 motorcycle traveling at “high rate of speed” a few minutes before the crash, said Police Chief Dennis Kaine. The officer had to stop the chase near Homans Avenue due to the unsafe speed of the motorcycle.

At 7:52 p.m., the motorcycle crashed into the driver’s side of a 2017 Infiniti QX6 as it was making a left turn into a driveway on Herbert Avenue, Kaine said. Both vehicles were traveling north.

The motorcycle driver, a 23-year-old man from Northvale, was taken by the Closter Ambulance Squad to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Kaine said. The driver of the SUV refused medical attention at the scene.


Police are not releasing the name of the motorcycle driver, as the investigation is ongoing, Kaine said. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit is assisting with the investigation.

Vama Shah, who has lived a few houses down from the accident scene for three years, said she hears bikes outside somewhat often. It's still a pretty quiet street, Shah said, and she didn't realize what had happened at first.

"I was just eating dinner and I heard a thud," she said while standing outside her house Friday night. "All of a sudden all these police were here."

WAS CORRUPT DETECTIVE SEAN SUITER THE SHOOTER WHO BLEW HIS BRAINS OUT TO AVOID FEDERAL INVESTIGATION? An independent panel of policing experts has reported that Baltimore police Det. Sean Suiter, 43, committed suicide last year

The panel members cited forensic evidence that a portion of the gun barrel was in contact with Suiter’s head, that his DNA was found inside the barrel and that blood splatter was found inside his right shirtsleeve



The conclusion by an independent panel of policing experts that Baltimore police Det. Sean Suiter committed suicide last year could have consequences for his family, the police department and the medical examiner’s office.

Suiter was fatally shot in West Baltimore’s Harlem Park neighborhood while investigating a triple homicide in November. Police initially treated the case as a murder, but now the independent panel has contradicted that conclusion, saying the case was a suicide, according to a lawyer representing Suiter’s widow Nicole.

The detective’s death had been the subject of competing theories within the police department, with some officers thinking there was evidence of homicide while others leaned toward the conclusion that Suiter had killed himself.

Whether the report is accepted as the last word on the case is just one of the questions that remains. Here’s what else is likely to come next:

» The panel finalized the report Friday, and it is likely to be released in its entirety, although officials have set no timetable for its publication. The document could set out in more detail how the panel reached its conclusions and raise questions about how police initially handled the case.

» The police department, the mayor’s office and the city council president declined to comment on the report’s findings until the document is released. When it is, they’ll face questions about whether they accept the findings. The report’s conclusions could prompt fresh questions about the police department’s ability to investigate itself.

» The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Suiter’s death a homicide. The report challenges that conclusion and Dr. David Fowler, the medical examiner, said Monday he would review it and “evaluate and we will do the honest thing.”

» Suiter’s family faces the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in death benefits, special pension payouts and workers’ compensation if the officials who award the money conclude that the detective was not not killed in the line of duty. Gerard Shields, a spokesman for the Maryland public safety department, said its lawyers would review the panel’s report in determining whether the family is eligible for a $158,000 payout from the state. Other agencies with funds at play are the U.S. Justice Department, the state Workers’ Compensation Commission and the Baltimore Fire and Police Employees’ Retirement System. It is unclear whether any of these benefits have been distributed.



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



Panel finds Baltimore Police Det. Sean Suiter's death was likely suicide, not murder, attorney for widow says


Justin Fenton and Ian Duncan

The Baltimore Sun


The independent panel appointed to review the death of Baltimore homicide Det. Sean Suiter has concluded that the officer likely took his own life, according to an attorney for his widow.

Paul Siegrist, an attorney for Nicole Suiter, said his client was informed of the determination last week.

“She is shocked by their conclusion,” said Siegrist, who said he would offer additional commentary after having a chance to learn the details.

A spokesman said there was no timetable for the report’s formal release. The chair of the panel, James “Chips” Stewart, said he could not comment because the report was still being finalized.

Contrasting opinions about the case had been swirling within the Baltimore Police Department since early in the investigation, even as the state medical examiner’s office ruled his death a homicide. Some believed the evidence pointed to his death being a suicide staged to look like a killing, while others said that theory strained credibility and was a convenient out for an agency struggling to solve the death of one of its own.

Suiter was fatally shot in November while conducting a follow-up investigation on a triple homicide in West Baltimore. Police locked down the surrounding neighborhood of Harlem Park, and a reward for Suiter’s killer reached more than $200,000.

A source who had reviewed an unreleased draft of the report said the panel reached the conclusion Suiter used his service weapon to take his own life based on “the totality of the evidence.”

The panel members cited forensic evidence that a portion of the gun barrel was in contact with Suiter’s head, that his DNA was found inside the barrel and that blood splatter was found inside his right shirtsleeve, the source said. The panel found there was no evidence of any other gun being used in the incident, the source said.

Video footage and testimony from two witnesses that the panel reviewed indicated any assailant would have had just a couple of seconds at most to disarm Suiter, kill him, cover up his or her involvement and flee the scene without being seen or heard, the source said.

The panel also cited Suiter’s impending testimony before the federal grand jury investigating the corrupt Gun Trace Task Force and the fact that he was considered a subject of that investigation as evidence bolstering its conclusion that Suiter had committed suicide, the source said.
 


Det. Sean Suiter, 43, died after being fatally shot in November, Baltimore Police said. The independent panel appointed to review Suiter's death has concluded that the officer likely took his own life.

Police had said Suiter was shot with his own gun, and The Sun first reported in March that body camera footage from the first responding officers showed the weapon was found under his body. Suiter had been shot behind the ear, with the bullet traveling forward. Sources who watched a surveillance video from the neighborhood said it showed Suiter pacing in front of a vacant lot before darting in.

His death occurred the night before Suiter was set to testify before a grand jury investigation into corruption allegations involving a member of the police department’s Gun Trace Task Force. In 2011, Suiter had taken part in an arrest in which federal prosecutors now say drugs were planted on a man who fled the officers and got into a deadly crash. Then-police Commissioner Kevin Davis said he was told by federal authorities that Suiter was not a target of that investigation.

Investigators never recovered DNA or fingerprints of a suspect. While Davis said there was evidence that Suiter had been engaged in a “violent struggle,” sources said the evidence of that was dirt on his knee.


“There are probabilities and possibilities,” Davis said at a news conference last year. “Any time we have an investigation like this we have to examine every possibility. … But based on our evidence and based on the investigation that pursues that particular possibility, there is no evidence that [suicide] was probable.”

Suiter was with a partner, Det. David Bomenka, who is on tape ducking behind a tree across the street from where the shooting occurred. The panel to review the case was appointed by then-Commissioner Darryl De Sousa, who later would step down after being indicted by federal prosecutors on failure to file taxes charges.


The panel is headed by Stewart and James “Chip” Coldren Jr., who worked for CNA Consulting in Arlington, Va. Stewart served on previous independent panels that looked at controversial Baltimore cases, including the 2011 “friendly fire” shooting outside the Select Lounge that killed Officer William H. Torbit Jr. Stewart also led the panel that reviewed the 2013 death of Tyrone West in Baltimore police custody.Also on the Suiter panel is Charles P. Scheeler, senior counsel with the DLA Piper law firm; two retired Baltimore homicide detectives, Gary Childs and Marvin Sydnor; Rick Fuentes, a retired New Jersey State Police superintendent who served in the administration of Gov. Chris Christie and a reported finalist to head the Drug Enforcement Administration in the Trump administration; and Peter Modafferi, a retired chief of detectives in the Rockland County, N.Y., district attorney’s office

Evidence of both fireworks and smoking materials found at the scene of the massive fire in the enclosed porch that killed nine children in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood

9th child dies after Little Village fire; investigators examine fireworks, smoking materials as potential causes





Nine people, identified by relatives as children, were killed in an extra-alarm fire early the morning of Aug. 26, 2018, in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood.
Elvia Malagon, Elyssa Cherney and Morgan Greene  Chicago Tribune



Investigators were examining forensic evidence Monday to determine whether a blaze on Chicago’s West Side that authorities say killed nine children was started on an enclosed porch by fireworks or smoking materials, such as a cigarette, according to a fire official.

Cesar Contreras, 14, originally survived the fire Sunday but died Monday evening at Stroger Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. One other 14-year-old boy remains hospitalized. Officials said his condition was too critical for investigators to interview him about what happened.

There was evidence of both fireworks and smoking materials at the scene, said Larry Langford, Chicago Fire Department spokesman. Officials have ruled out electrical problems at the Little Village residence as a possible fire source based on the findings of an engineer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, he said.

ATF referred questions about the blaze to the Chicago Fire Department.

Once a cause is determined, Langford said investigators will look at whether the fire was an accident or intentionally set.

Firefighters were called just before 4 a.m. Sunday to the 2200 block of South Sacramento Avenue. Officials believe the fire started in an enclosed porch at the back of the rear building, Langford said.

Relatives said all nine who died ranged from 3 months to 16 years old, most of whom were first cousins.

Krystle Sauseda, 31, said she is an aunt to many of the victims. The cousins included: Amayah Almaraz, 3 months old; Alanni Ayala, 3; Gialanni Ayala, 5; Ariel Garcia, 5; Giovanni Ayala, 10; Xavier Contreras, 11; Nathan Contreras, 13; and Cesar Contreras, 14. Victor Mendoza, 16, a close family friend, also died in the fire.

On Monday, the medical examiner’s office performed autopsies on eight of the victims. In each case, the cause and manner of death were listed as pending.

Authorities had initially reported that at least one of those injured in the fire was an adult.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating allegations of neglect involving the children, Alissandra Calderon, a spokeswoman for the agency, said in an email. The agency had prior contact with three families involved in the fire, but none were under investigation at the time of the fire, said Calderon, who refused to say what the results of the agency’s prior investigations were.

As the vigil resumed Monday evening on Sacramento Avenue, at least 200 people mingled on the block, with police standing watch on the north and south ends. Red and white candle wax spilled onto the sidewalk, hardening as it pooled.

Several boys and Benny Estrada leaned against a silver Acura SUV parked alongside a row of white crosses surrounded by flickering candles and commemorative tokens, talking about their friend, Xavier Contreras.

"We were at Limas Park — did I show you this?" Estrada asked the boys. They crowded together to look at his phone.

"He finally did it!" one of the boys said, grinning wide.

On the screen, in a white T-shirt and gray joggers, the 11-year-old Xavier sat in a swing, gripping its chains, his legs pumping against a dark sky. He swung back and forth, gaining momentum. Then he flipped, his black sneakers rotating over his head. Midair, he let go of the swing, his legs coming back underneath his body as he landed on his feet. His palms touched the ground for just a second as he stumbled forward, but he didn't fall.

Days before his death, at a community barbecue at the park at Trumbull Avenue and 24th Street, Xavier mastered the trick he'd been working on over the summer. Seeming confident, he asked Estrada to record the attempt, Estrada said.

"He's like, 'Record me, record me,' " Estrada said. "I told him not to hit his head."

Along a fence bordering the sidewalk hung posters, photographs and shiny balloons spelling out the children's names. Messages of love and memories decorated the posters.

"We love you watch over us," read one.

"I remember all the fun times we had together," read another.

And, "I (heart) you best friend."


A man walks by a memorial with images of victims on an iron gate on Aug. 27, 2018, in front of a vacant house near where nine were killed in a house fire in the 2200 block of South Sacramento Avenue. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Fire investigators who have been combing the scene have found no evidence of smoke detectors where the children were sleeping, Langford said.

“Had there been working smoke detectors, the death toll would have been less or nonexistent,” he said.

Alice Gutierrez, who is related to the owner of the building, said the owner is seeking an attorney because he had installed smoke detectors in the apartment about four months ago.

The home had two bedrooms, but some of the children were asleep in the living room area, Langford said. Some of the children lived in the home, while others were visiting for a sleepover. No one was found on the porch.

Multiple detectives have been assigned to the “death investigation” because of the number of victims.


Chicago firefighters pass out smoke detectors on Aug. 27, 2018, to nearby residents following the fatal fire in the 2200 block of Sacramento Avenue in Chicago. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Public records show a history of poor conditions at the Sacramento property.

Tenants have filed multiple complaints with the city’s 311 service since at least 2015 over problems with bedbugs, doors falling off hinges and sinking floors, records show.

One complaint from October 2015 said, “RATS AND BED BUGS IN COACH HOUSE AND THE LANDLORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT."

Records show that matter led to a hearing, but information on the results of the hearing wasn’t immediately available.

Separately, the city sent a notice of violation to the property owner in August 2015 over a complaint that said an apartment was "infested with bed bugs, doors are falling off the hinges, tile coming up off the kitchen floor," records show.


A memorial of crosses, candles, flowers and balloons is growing Aug. 27, 2018, near the site of the fatal fire in the 2200 block of Sacramento Avenue. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)

Last year, complaints about bedbugs and other unsafe conditions in May and August were closed by city inspectors, who did not find any violations, records show.

Most recently, the property came to the city’s attention in June when a tenant complained, said Gregg Cunningham, a spokesman for the city’s Buildings Department.

The department inspected the building June 8 and found two electrical code violations, Cunningham said.

One of the violations was for an extension cord that ran from the rear building to the main apartments, according to the city’s legal filings. The other was for electrical grounding that caused a basement tenant to get shocked from a tub faucet, the filings said.

That case was set for a court date in late September.

The landlord, records show, also owns at least one more apartment in Little Village, for which he's also been disciplined. In 2014, the city issued violations for a unit in the 2300 block of South Drake Avenue that didn't have a carbon monoxide detector, was kept at low temperatures, didn't have a working space heater and didn't have hot water, court records show.

In response, a court-ordered heat receiver made more than $2,000 worth of repairs to the apartment, which the landlord paid for.

The owner has been "cooperative" in addressing previous violations, according to a city spokesperson.

Several community groups have created fundraising campaigns to help the family. Enlace Chicago created an online campaign fund for the family and is collecting items at 2329 S. Troy St., and 2756 S. Harding Ave.

emalagon@chicagotribune.com

echerney@chicagotribune.com

mgreene@chicagotribune.com

Broken pipes, millions of gallons of wasted potable water are plaguing Hoboken and many other New Jersey towns

At the scene of yet another water main break. This is totally unacceptable & unfair to our residents. I will be calling an emergency meeting with @SUEZwaterNJ - to find short/long term solutions + accountability. Thank you to residents for your patience. Mine is running thin.

Broken pipes, millions of gallons of wasted potable water are plaguing Hoboken and many other New Jersey towns
6-inch water main break in Hoboken Sunday marks 2nd this weekend, at least 6th since July 

August 27, 2018

By Corey W. McDonald

cmcdonald@jjournal.com

The Jersey Journal

HOBOKEN, NJ -- 

The second water main break this weekend, the third in a week, and at least the sixth since July 19 was reported this morning.

Suez Water, the company that operates the Hoboken water system, said in a tweet that a six-inch water main break occurred on 13th Street between Madison Avenue and Jefferson Street.

Contractors have been working to repair the break, but Suez has "not received word yet that (those repairs) have been completed," a spokeswoman said.

No customers have been impacted, the spokeswoman said.

This morning's break occurred just as repairs to Saturday's 16-inch main break were being completed. Yesterday's break shutdown parts of Newark and Hudson streets.

The city has recently experienced water mains breaks on July 19, Aug. 6, Aug. 12, and Aug. 20. They have become commonplace in the Mile Square City, and residents have now come to expect them.

Mayor Ravi Bhalla, in a tweet posted Saturday, said the frequency of these breaks are "totally unacceptable and unfair to our residents."

"I will be calling an emergency meeting with (Suez) to find short/long term solutions + accountability," he said. "Thank you to residents for your patience. Mine is running thin."

Bhalla told CBSNewYork he suspects that the breaks are being caused by a separate Suez project, saying he is "very concerned that there is a connection between the water chamber meter project and the sudden spike in water main breaks throughout Hoboken."

He has ordered Suez to immediately end work on its various non-emergent projects and operations in the city until "the cause of the frequent breaks is fully investigated," and called for an emergency meeting with Suez officials Monday.

16 people died, 5 in critical after a bus was carrying 33 pilgrims from the village of Bozhurishte, Bulgaria on a weekend trip to a nearby Orthodox monastery, overturned Saturday and dropped 60 feet down onto a side road below

5 still critical after Bulgarian bus crash that killed 16

The bus was carrying 33 pilgrims from a village and a driver on a weekend trip to a monastery. 

Sunday, August 26, 2018

By Veselin Toshkow / Associated Press

SOFIA, Bulgaria — 

Five people still have life-threatening injuries Sunday, a day after their tourist bus flipped over on a Bulgarian highway, killing at least 16 people and leaving 18 injured, authorities said.

Dr. Nikolay Gabrovski from Sofia’s emergency hospital spoke Sunday about the victims’ injuries.

Police said the bus was carrying 33 pilgrims from the village of Bozhurishte and a driver on a weekend trip to a nearby Orthodox monastery. It overturned Saturday and dropped down onto a side road below the highway about 30 miles north of Sofia, the capital.

Police said Sunday that 13 people died at the scene, among them a 13-year-old boy, and three of the injured died in the hospital. That updates comments from the health minister, who said Saturday that 27 people had been injured.

An investigation into the cause of the crash has been launched.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov called an emergency meeting Sunday with senior law enforcement officials to tighten traffic controls on the roads during the peak summer tourist season.

The government has declared Monday a national day of mourning for the bus victims.

The victims in Saturday's deadly plane crash in Emanuel County have been identified.

EMANUEL COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) - 

The victims in Saturday's deadly plane crash in Emanuel County have been identified.

SG Aliaksandr “Alex” Bahrytsevich, 31 years old, is one of the four people who died in the incident.

He served in the US army, most recently as a demonstrator on the Golden Knights Black Demonstration Team.

According to the US Army Golden Knights Facebook page, Alex was passionate about skydiving and always sought opportunities to coach and mentor other members of the team.

He was off duty when the plane crashed.

The other victims have been identified as Justin Duff, 42, of Statesboro, Aliaksandr Bahrytsevich, 31, of Reaford, NC, Andrew Swenson, 23, of S Daytona Beach, FL, and Chris Eldridge of Rincon GA.  A fifth person, William Middlebrooks was taken to Augusta University Medical Center.

At last check he was in critical condition.

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He is also listed as one of the dead instructors

Chris Elridge is listed as one of the dead by his daughter on their Facebook page

Chris Elridge is listed as one of the dead by his daughter on their Facebook page

Chris Elridge is listed as one of the dead by his daughter on their Facebook page

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Aliaksandr "Alex" Bahrytsevich, 31, was one of four people killed in a small plane crash in Georgia on Saturday, the U.S. Army parachute team, the Golden Knights, announced Sunday. Photo courtesy U.S. Army Golden Knights/Facebook 


U.S. Army soldier among four killed in Georgia plane crash


By
Daniel Uria

August 26, 2018 (UPI) -- 

A U.S. Army soldier was identified as one of four people killed in a small plane crash in Georgia on Saturday.

Staff Sgt. Aliaksandr "Alex" Bahrytsevich, 31, died in the crash while off duty in Swainsboro, the U.S. Army parachute team, the Golden Knights, announced Sunday.


"Alex was extremely passionate about the sport of skydiving and always sought opportunities to coach and mentor other members of the team," the team said.

A Cessna 182A aircraft with five people aboard crashed shortly after taking off from East Georgia Regional Airport at 2:08 p.m. Saturday the Federal Aviation Administration said, according to The Fayetteville Observer.

Reports indicated four people, including Bahrytsevich, were killed and the fifth was in critical condition.

The Army Golden Knights said Bahrytsevich was originally from Belarus and "served the US Army with distinction and pride," most recently serving as a demonstrator on the Golden Knights Black Demonstration Team.

He is survived by his mother, Nattallia, and father, Mikhail and funeral arrangements and memorial ceremony information will be released later in the week.


"We ask for respect and privacy for the family during this time of sorrow and grief," the Golden Knights said.


It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that the US Army Parachute Team announces the recent death of SSG Aliaksandr “Alex” Bahrytsevich. SSG Bahrytsevich, 31 years of age, was killed on Saturday, 25 August 2018, in a small plane crash while off duty in Swainsboro, Georgia. Alex was extremely passionate about the sport of skydiving and always sought opportunities to coach and mentor other members of the team. Originally from Belarus, Alex served the US Army with distinction and pride. He served most recently as a demonstrator on the Golden Knights Black Demonstration Team. Alex is survived by his mother, Nattallia, and father, Mikhail. We ask for respect and privacy for the family during this time of sorrow and grief. Funeral arrangements and memorial ceremony information will be released later this week.
U.S. Army parachute team, the Golden Knights
=====================================



A single-engine plane carrying five people crashed Saturday afternoon at East Georgia Regional Airport in Swainsboro, Ga.

Emanuel County Deputy Coroner Randy Love said there were four fatalities.

Love confirmed the plane is owned by The Jumping Place Skydiving Center in Statesboro, Ga.

On its Facebook page the business posted, “Today we have suffered an enormous loss. NTSB will be investigating the crash. We’ve lost loved ones. Please be respectful of loved ones. We’ve all lost parts of our family.”

Earlier Saturday a post said, “We are closed for the rest of the weekend.”

Love said the bodies of the victims will be transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Division of Forensic Sciences Coastal Lab in Savannah, Ga.

According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane was a Cessna 182A.

The FAA will investigate and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the crash, the FAA statement said.

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UPDATE: 4 dead after small plane crashes at Swainsboro Airport 

Saturday, August 25th 2018
By J. Bryan Randall, Digital Content Manager

By Nicolle Sartain, Producer


Deadly plane crash in Swainsboro (WFXG) SWAINSBORO, GA (WFXG) -

Four people are dead and one survivor is fighting for their life after a plane crash in Swainsboro.

The crash happened at around 2 p.m. at the East Georgia Regional Airport. The plane was carrying passengers for The Jumping Place Skydiving Center from Statesboro. The survivor was taken to a hospital in Augusta, where they are listed in critical condition.

FOX 54 is at the airport now speaking with Emanuel County and Swainsboro officials to get more information. The NTSB has been on the scene since around 7 p.m. and will be investigating the crash.



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





Narrative:
Following a loss of engine power during takeoff, the aircraft staled and subsequent impact the ground at East Georgia Regional Airport, Georgia. The aircraft was partially consumed by the post-impact fire and four of the five occupants were fatally injured. One fifth occupant received serious injuries.

Sources:
http://www.augustachronicle.com/news/20180825/four-killed-in-plane-crash-at-emanuel-county-airport
http://www.wbrc.com/story/38961422/small-plane-crashes-at-swainsboro-airport
http://www.walb.com/story/38961373/small-plane-crashes-at-swainsboro-airport
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/breaking-swainsboro-plane-crash-fears-13140309
http://www.wlox.com/story/38961422/small-plane-crashes-at-swainsboro-airport

http://www.thejumpingplace.com
Date: 25-AUG-2018
Time: 14:00 LT
Type:
Cessna 182A
Owner/operator: The Jumping Place Skydiving Center
Registration:

C/n / msn:

Fatalities: Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 5
Other fatalities: 0
Aircraft damage: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location: East Georgia Regional Airport (KSBO), Swainsboro, GA - United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature: Parachuting
Departure airport: East Georgia Rgn’l (KSBO)
Destination airport: East Georgia Rgn’l (KSBO)