The Corinth, NY house fire that killed Tonya L. Slimmer, 39 and her 15-year-old daughter, Briaunna L. Slimmer, and sent other family members to the hospital Monday was caused by smoking

November 21, 2017 12:26 PM

Autopsies were performed on two victims of Monday's deadly fire in Corinth – 39-year-old Tonya Slimmer and her 15-year-old daughter, Briaunna.

The Saratoga County Sheriff's Department says the cause of death was smoke inhalation.


The fire broke out at their home on Main Street.

Two other children, ages 18 months and 3 years, were treated and released from the hospital.

Schools in Corinth are offering bereavement counseling. Brianna was a student there.

NewsChannel 13's media partners at The Post-Star report the fire was caused by smoking.

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CORINTH, NY — The fire that killed a mother and her daughter and sent other family members to the hospital Monday was caused by smoking, Corinth Fire Chief Andy Kelley said at the scene Tuesday morning.


Kelley said it is believed the fire was accidentally started by the 15-year-old daughter, Briaunna L. Slimmer, who died in the blaze along with her mother, Tonya L. Slimmer, 39.


According to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the cause of death for both victims was linked to smoke inhalation. Autopsies were performed Tuesday at Saratoga Hospital by Dr. Miachel Sikirica.


After the fire broke out, the teen called downstairs to her mother, but the two were overcome with smoke, Kelley said.


Tonya’s 20-year-old son and two of her children, an 18-month-old and a 3-year-old, were home at the time of the fire. Others were in school when the fire broke out.

Two firefighters rescued the young children, Kelley said. They were transported to Saratoga Hospital, then transferred to Albany Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation and released Monday.

Tonya’s husband, Jerry, was at work at the time of the fire and returned to the scene.


Two smoke detectors were found to be in operation by firefighters, although one was chirping with a low battery. Firefighters found no smoke detector on the second floor, where the fire started, Kelley said.

Donations for the family are being accepted through the Corinth First United Methodist Church. At least 40 volunteers, including Bonnie Bates, the church’s pastor, have been organizing the overflowing amount of donations at the church.


“It just has been amazing,” Bates said. “People just walked in and handed a $100 bill. Everybody wants to help.”


Items in need include toiletries including diapers sizes 3 and 5, toys, plastic storage totes, food and premade meals. Gift cards to Stewart’s Shops, Market 32, local restaurants and cash will be accepted.


According to Sherry Mann, who has helped lead the volunteer effort, they are accepting money to help the family make a payment for a three- or four-bedroom apartment.


Students at Corinth Central School began their morning with a moment of silence for a classmate, 15-year-old sophomore Briaunna, and her mother. Homeroom teachers read a note to the students, telling them to seek counseling if they needed it.


“We’re doing okay. Obviously, it’s been a difficult day,” said Superintendent Mark Stratton, whose schools have five other members of the Slimmmer family enrolled. “I wouldn’t say we have had a lot of students go for counseling but, of course, we did have some students who were a lot more affected than others. We have the counseling center open, and we also have the meeting room open for the staff members who need to talk.”


In a letter to students’ families, Stratton noted Briaunna had been in Corinth schools since kindergarten and was a member of the Leo Club, the chorus and cross-country team.


“She will always be remembered as a polite, hardworking and respectful young lady,” he wrote. “The loss of a student is a difficult and challenging situation that can generate a high level of anxiety and distress in students.”


Sophomore classmate Isabella Mann, who was volunteering at the church Tuesday, said, “She always had a smile on her face and was a beautiful girl.”


Stratton said the school already had an assembly scheduled for Tuesday, the last day of the school week before Thanksgiving.


“That was good timing because it took the kids’ minds off the tragedy,” she said.

Jennifer Parent said she had been friends with Tonya Slimmer for more than two decades.

“She was an amazing person. She didn’t have much as far as material things, but she had a lot of love and a huge heart. She would help anyone that she could,” Parent said in an email. “She and I volunteered at Code Blue (homeless shelter) one season, and her kids rang the bell for the Salvation Army every holiday season. One son raised money every year and donated it to a local animal shelter. She had a tradition that she carried on from her mother who passed away a few years ago from cancer, which was every Christmas Eve she would make stockings and deliver them to the shelters of Saratoga.


“Tonya had a huge heart and she taught her children the same. She was always trying to find things to do with her children to make a difference in the community,” Parent added. “She would take people in to her house if they had no place to go and treat them like family. She really was amazing and I just wish more people really knew her.”

A GoFundMe fundraiser has raised nearly $7,000 as of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. The goal is set at $10,000 to help cover funeral costs.

An account was established Tuesday at Hudson River Community Credit Union under the name Jerry Slimmer Sr. Those wishing to make a donation may do so at any branch during regular business hours, according to CEO Sue Commanda.

A Corinth auction house will also be open to collect items to help the family.

A Hoops for Holidays event scheduled at 3:30 p.m., Nov. 29, will benefit the family.

Pastor Bates said a wake will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church, and funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday.

A prayer vigil for the victims and family is planned at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the corner of Main and Beech streets.

The house was demolished Tuesday morning after being condemned by local officials.

The family was also assisted by The Salvation Army with cots, and the American Red Cross donated money to the family.

Massive gas line explosion from ruptured 22-inch diamter gas pipeline creates flames 200 feet high and leaves 18-foot crater in Orion Township, Michigan

Massive gas line explosion leaves 18-foot crater in Orion Township
Hasan Dudar and John Wisely, Detroit Free Press 

 Novembet 21, 2017


Surveillance camera footage from Checkers on Brown Road of an an explosion from a ruptured gas line in Orion Township near the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets mall on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017.

A ruptured gas line caused a massive explosion and fire in an area of Orion Township near the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets mall on Monday night.





A ruptured gas line caused an explosion and massive fire that left an 18-foot-deep crater in an area of Orion Township near the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets mall on Monday night, authorities say.

A fire was reported shortly after 9:52 p.m., when Consumers Energy noticed a drop in pressure on its gas system, the energy company said in a news release.

Orion Township fire personnel received a 911 call from someone nearby who said there was a gas leak and it sounded like a jet engine, township supervisor Chris Barnett said.

Barnett said that they've had gas main breaks before but nothing of this magnitude. He said the fire — which occurred in an area north of Brown Road near Joslyn Road, near the border with Auburn Hills — had flames 100- to 150-feet wide and up to 200-feet high. The flames could be seen from downtown Detroit, more than 30 miles away.


Emergency personnel work at the site of a ruptured gas line that caused an explosion and fire in Orion Township near the Great Lakes Crossing Outlets mall on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017. (Photo: Romain Blanquart, Detroit Free Press)

"The good news is this is an area that’s soon-to-be developed but not developed yet," Barnett said, adding that the only items near the main break were equipment including flatbed trailers. A Menards store is being developed on the north side of Brown Road, Barnett said.

Residents in the area who were ordered to evacuate their homes were able to return early Tuesday morning, Auburn Hills Police reported on its Twitter account.

Consumers Energy said that the cause of the eruption and fire is under investigation. What officials do know is that a 22-inch diameter steel transmission line ruptured, and that the fire burned itself out after the flow of gas was cut off on either end of a seven-mile section of the transmission line.  The gas was shut off by 11:10 p.m. and the fire was out sometime after midnight or 1 a.m., Consumers Energy spokesperson Roger Morgenstern said.

“We inspected the site of the ruptured gas line and surrounding area and found nothing suspicious or unusual relating to an intentional act,” Captain Mel Maier of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said in an e-mail.


Maier said the sheriff’s office was not aware of any injuries directly related to the fire or explosion. The explosion’s blast area encompassed 30 to 40 yards around the crater and exposed about 30 feet of the natural gas line, Maier said.

The section of the pipeline that was isolated stretched from around the scene of the fire to Dixie Highway and M15, said Morgenstern, who described the incident as "uncommon" and said it typically does not happen with transmission lines, which carry gas at a high pressure–this particular one at 600 pounds per square inch.

"This is like the highway for gas transportation and this line is not directly connected to any customers," Morgenstern said. "So we were able to isolate this 22-inch diameter pipe."

The last time there was a transmission line rupture was in July 2016, when a vehicle struck a line at a DTE site on Greenfield Road in Melvindale, said Michigan Public Service Commission spokesman Nick Assendelt, who also said such a rupture is "not common at all," in an email.


Oakland County Sheriff’s Office “Air One” captures video Orion Township gas line explosion site.

The commission investigates pipeline incidents and will be working with Consumers Energy to determine the cause of Monday's incident but can't speculate, Assendelft said.

"But different gas transmission line ruptures around the state in past have been caused by a number of different factors, including outside force, natural force, material or equipment failure, incorrect operations, excavation damage, or corrosion," Assendelft said.


Ed Holm, owner of Orion Stone Wholesale, said the explosion happened near the back of his property, which is 1,400 feet deep on the north side of Brown Road.

He said he received a call late last night from his daughter, who lives nearby. When he got to his business on Brown Road, west of Joslyn, he saw flames shooting 200 to 300 feet in the air.

“I I knew that the pipeline was there, but it’s never been a problem,” he said.

The fire did not damage the building that houses Holm’s business but it destroyed six trailers that he uses to transport stone and other material.

The heat from the fire caused the tires of the trailers to ignite.

“It was so hot that it melted the aluminum on the deck of the trailers,” Holm said.

Holm estimated that the pipeline was about 20 feet below ground level near the back of his property. The property behind his is undeveloped and covered with woods, which caught fire.

Even after fire crews put out the flames from the gas, the trees still lit up the night with embers on their trunks, Holm said.

Natural gas service was not interrupted because of the incident, Consumers Energy said.

Service has been restored to all 911 and 10-digit non-emergency telephone services at the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and countywide public safety answering points, according to Maier.

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ORION TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) - 


Schools and roads are open following a massive fire in Orion Township Monday evening. It's almost like nothing ever happened, but the images and sounds will be unforgettable for many.

Witnesses described the explosion and fire near Great Lakes Crossing as sounding like a "jet engine."


The fire near Brown and Joslyn roads could be seen and even heard from miles away.

Consumers Energy says they noticed a drop in the gas pressure about 10 minutes before 10 p.m. A 22-inch diameter steel gas transmission line reportedly ruptured, causing the explosion and fire.

Responders were able to cut off the flow of gas on either end of a 7-mile section of the line, allowing the fire to burn itself out.

Consumers says no customers had service interrupted because of the incident and no injuries were reported.

A spokesperson says what happened was very rare and the cause of the rupture is under investigation.

Lake Orion Schools tweeted that the Oakland County Sheriff's Office says the incident will not affect schools, businesses or other activities.

All 911 and non-emergency 10 digit telephone services at the Oakland County Sheriff's Office and countywide PSAPs were fully restored early this morning following an outage after the fire incident.

The dead bodies of two individuals inside the Barclay Friends Senior Center at 700 North Franklin Street in West Chester, PA have been recovered

Special Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Response Team, Pennsylvania State Police, and Chester County Fire Marshal's office have located the remains of two individuals inside the Barclay Friends Senior Center at 700 North Franklin Street in West Chester.

Investigators initially located the remains of the first victim late Tuesday morning and then the second victim later in the afternoon.

The remains were transported from the scene by the Chester County Coroner and the families of the four missing residents were notified.

Investigators are still in the process of conducting an origin and cause investigation of the fire and it is expected to continue throughout the Thanksgiving holiday.

A large crane and other excavating equipment were brought to the scene and began removing large sections of fire debris early Tuesday morning.

Efforts to locate the two remaining missing residents will continue Wednesday.

"The thoughts and prayers of the men and women of ATF are with the families of the victims during this difficult time. Their losses only strengthen our resolve to provide answers to them as a result of our investigation of this tragedy," said Special Agent in Charge Donald Robinson.

ATF's NRT, along with Special Agents from the ATF Philadelphia Field Division, were activated to respond to the 5-alarm fire at the Barclay Friends Senior Assisted Living Center.

The fire occurred at approximately 10:45 p.m., November 16.

First responders from West Chester and surrounding fire departments in the area arrived on scene shortly after the first call was made to 911, assisting with the evacuation of approximately 160 residents and staff members.

The NRT arrived on scene Saturday morning to start processing the fire scene and determine the origin and cause once the building was secured and hot spots extinguished.

The fire investigation is being worked in coordination with the Chester County District Attorney's Office, Chester County Fire Marshal's Office, Pennsylvania State Police, West Chester Police Department, Chester County Sheriff's Office and Chester County Department of Emergency Services.


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WEST CHESTER, Pennsylvania --

At least 20 people have been injured in a massive, multi-alarm fire at a senior living community in Pennsylvania.

The fire was reported just before 11 p.m. Thursday at Barclay Friends on North Franklin Street in West Chester.

The fire quickly spread to multiple buildings and flames could be seen shooting from the roofs and windows of the structures.

Residents were forced to evacuate outside into the cold, with temperatures overnight hovering in the low 40s.

Dozens of residents were on the lawn or along the street, wrapped in blankets. Many of them had been pushed in wheelchairs or rolled on beds to safety.

Chester County emergency officials said at least 20 people were taken to area hospitals for treatment.

WPVI-TV in Philadelphia is told nine people were taken to Chester County Hospital and seven were taken to Paoli Memorial Hospital. There was no immediate word on the conditions of the injured.


A spokeswoman for Main Line Health, a not-for-profit health system, said one of its hospitals also was prepared to provide shelter to some additional residents of the senior living community. According to its website, Barclay Friends offers various levels of care including memory care, skilled nursing and post-acute rehab.

Early Friday morning, the local chapter of the American Red Cross said on Twitter that it had multiple teams on the scene and that it was working with county officials and facility staff to assist displaced residents.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.



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Flames ripped through a senior living community in Chester County, Pennsylvania, Thursday night, forcing 140 residents into the cold and local shelters. About 20 residents were sent to local hospitals.

The five-alarm fire at the Barclay Friends community on the 700 block of North Franklin Street in West Chester led staff to evacuate vulnerable residents on foot, in wheelchairs and even in beds, wrapped in blankets.

A look at the inferno that engulfed Barclay Friends overnight.
Photo credit: Chester County Working Fires

Residents were triaged on a neighborhood street, then transported to a number of different shelters on ambulances and school buses.

At an early-morning news conference, Chester County officials said they weren't ready yet to confirm the number injured or how serious the injuries were.

Fire Sweeps Through Pa Senior Living Home
Seniors were evacuated into 40-degree weather and some were sent to local hospitals when a 5-alarm fire erupted at a senior living home in West Chester, Pa. Thursday. NBC10 News' Katy Zachry and Dray Clark report.(Published Friday, Nov. 17, 2017)

But people at the scene described a frightening rescue from the inferno, which started before 11 p.m. Thursday.

"I'm just envisioning the elderly people burning in their beds because it was so massive... before any rescue came," neighbor Scott Baker said.


A look at the smoldering senior-living community Friday morning.
Photo credit: SkyForce10


Firefighters were still dousing hot spots as smoke continued to rise after daybreak Friday, even though the inferno was declared under control at 1:22 a.m.

An employee who was inside the building said staff rushed into residents' rooms when they realized the scope of the fire and began rushing them to safety.

Seniors took shelter in places including the Hollinger Field House at West Chester University.



Another worker, with tears in her eyes, said she was worried about the residents that she had come to know over three years working at Barclay Friends.

"It's sad," said Nellie Mingey. "This is their home. A lot of them don't have anywhere to go."

Unhurt residents were being reunited with friends and family at the nearby shelters, including at West Chester University. The Red Cross had moved everyone from the West Chester shelter to specialized health care facilities and closed the shelter by late morning.

The American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania responded to help those displaced. The Red Cross said its Disaster Mental Health and Spiritual Care team met with each resident and their families.

"They're cold, they're scared, they're anxious, they wanted to get out of here, so we're glad to have gotten them out," registered nurse Noreen Cibley said.


Neighbors rushed to the scene as well to help comfort evacuees. One woman who lives within a mile of the scene said she called a first responder friend as soon as she saw the flames, then rushed over with donations from Wawa of coffee and water for the overwhelmed evacuees.

"Everyone seems OK, but they are tired," the neighbor said. "They look really, really exhausted. They've had a long night."

Barclay Friends, a Kendal Affiliate, is a senior living community that provides professional nursing staff 24 hours a day, meals and other services, according to its website.

20+ Injured in Assisted Living Facility
Crews battled heavy flames at an assisted living facility late Thursday night into early Friday morning. NBC10's Aaron Baskerville was on scene.(Published Friday, Nov. 17, 2017)

Firefighters warned people in the area to expect traffic troubles in the area of Franklin Street and Goshen Road as roads in the area remained closed Friday as ATF agents led the investigation into the blaze.

Getting inside the building was a challenge as part of the building collapsed and smoke continued to rise from the rubble throughout the morning.

3 U.S. soldiers missing after a Grumman C-2 "Greyhound" transport aircraft crashed into the Pacific about 150 kilometers (90 miles) northwest of Okinotorishima, a Japanese atoll. It was taking part in an ongoing joint U.S.-Japan naval exercise.

Wednesday, November 22, 2017




TOKYO, JAPAN (AP) - The Latest on the crash in the Pacific of a U.S. Navy plane flying to the USS Ronald Reagan (all times local):



7:40 p.m.

The U.S. Navy says eight people who were recovered from the crash of a transport aircraft in the Pacific are in good condition and the search continues for three other missing personnel.

The Navy says in a tweet that the eight are on board the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier.

Their C-2 "Greyhound" transport plane crashed while on its way to the carrier on Wednesday in the Philippine Sea, where the U.S. and Japanese navies are holding exercises.

___

5:15 p.m.

Japan's defense minister says eight of the crew and passengers on a plane that crashed while en route to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier have been found, but it's unclear if they're alive.

The Defense Ministry says it had no information on their condition.

A spokesman quoted Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera as telling reporters Wednesday that the C-2 aircraft crashed into the Pacific about 150 kilometers (90 miles) northwest of Okinotorishima, a Japanese atoll. It was taking part in an ongoing joint U.S.-Japan naval exercise.

The U.S. Navy says the aircraft was carrying 11 crew and passengers.

___

4:50 p.m.

The U.S. Navy says an aircraft carrying 11 crew and passengers has crashed into the Pacific Ocean while on the way to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan.

The Japan-based 7th Fleet says in a statement that the search and rescue operation has been launched from the carrier.

It says the ship was operating in the Philippine Sea when the crash occurred at 2:45 p.m. Japan time.

It says the names of the crew and passengers are being withheld pending next of kin notification.

US Navy plane with 11 aboard crashes into Pacific; 8 rescued Wednesday, November 22nd 2017, 3:01 am ESTWednesday, November 22nd 2017, 7:33 am EST








U.S. Navy Aircraft Crashes in Philippine Sea

By Commander, Task Force 70 Public Affairs | | November 22, 2017


PHILIPPINE SEA -- A United States Navy aircraft carrying 11 crew and passengers crashed into the ocean southeast of Okinawa at approximately 2:45 p.m. today.

The names of the crew and passengers are being withheld pending next of kin notification.

Personnel recovery is underway and their condition will be evaluated by USS Ronald Reagan medical staff.

The aircraft was en-route to the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which is currently operating in the Philippine Sea.

USS Ronald Reagan is conducting search and rescue operations. The cause of the crash is not known at this time.



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In this March 22, 2007, file photo, the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, bottom, anchors as U.S. Aegis Ship passes after they arrive at Busan port for joint military exercises in Busan, South Korea. (Source: AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

By KEN MORITSUGU
Associated Press


TOKYO (AP) - Eight people were rescued and three remained missing after a U.S. Navy plane crashed into the western Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, the Navy said.

The C-2 "Greyhound" transport aircraft came down about 500 nautical miles (925 kilometers) southeast of Okinawa as it was bringing passengers and cargo from Japan to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier, the Navy said in a statement.

The Reagan was operating in the Philippine Sea during a joint exercise with Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force when the twin-propeller plane crashed at 2:45 p.m. Japan time. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear and the incident will be investigated, the Navy said.

Eight people were rescued about 40 minutes later. They were taken to the Reagan for medical evaluation and are in good condition, the Navy said.

U.S. and Japanese naval ships and aircraft are searching for the missing. Japan's Defense Ministry said the crash site is about 150 kilometers (90 miles) northwest of Okinotorishima, a Japanese atoll.

The names of the crew and passengers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

Philippine military spokesman Maj. Gen. Restituto Padilla said his military alerted its ships and aircraft shortly after learning about the crash but could not provide help because of the distance from the country.

The Nov. 16-26 joint exercise in waters off Okinawa has been described by the Navy as the "premier training event" between the U.S. and Japanese navies, designed to increase defensive readiness and interoperability in air and sea operations.

The Navy's Japan-based 7th Fleet has had two fatal accidents in Asian waters this year, leaving 17 sailors dead and prompting the removal of eight top Navy officers from their posts, including the 7th Fleet commander.

The USS John S. McCain and an oil tanker collided near Singapore in August, leaving 10 U.S. sailors dead. Seven sailors died in June when the USS Fitzgerald and a container ship collided off Japan.

The Navy has concluded that the collisions were avoidable and resulted from widespread failures by the crews and commanders, who didn't quickly recognize and respond to unfolding emergencies. A Navy report recommended numerous changes to address the problems, ranging from improved training to increasing sleep and stress management for sailors.

Date:	22-NOV-2017
Time:	14:45 LT
Type:	Grumman C-2 Greyhound
Owner/operator:	US Navy (USN)
Registration:
C/n / msn:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: / Occupants: 11
Airplane damage:	Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:	SE of Okinawa, Philippine Sea -   Pacific Ocean
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:	Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni
Destination airport:	USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)

Narrative:
A United States Navy aircraft carrying 11 crew and passengers crashed into the ocean southeast of Okinawa at approximately 2:45 p.m. The aircraft was en-route to the carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which is currently operating in the Philippine Sea. U.S. and Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force ships and aircraft are conducting search and rescue operations in the Philippine Sea.
Three people are missing. Eight people were rescued at 15:23 LT in good condition, according to 7th Fleet.

Sources:

http://www.c7f.navy.mil/Media/News/Display/Article/1379117/us-navy-aircraft-crashes-in-philippine-sea/platform/hootsuite/
Japan's NHK news agency reports.
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20171122/k10011232271000.html?utm_int=news_contents_news-main_001&nnw_opt=news-main_a
https://www.nu.nl/buitenland/5017730/amerikaans-marinevliegtuig-neergestort-in-zee-bij-japan.html
https://news.usni.org/2017/11/22/3-missing-8-rescued-following-c-2a-crash-near-okinawa

Landfill dump truck spotter, Gary Sigmon of Denver, NC, 48, employed by Earnhardt Grading, Inc. of Stanley, NC was hit and killed by a bulldozer

ROCKY MOUNT, NC (AP) -



A worker at a North Carolina landfill site has died after being hit by a bulldozer.

The state Department of Labor says it has opened an investigation into the death of 48-year-old Gary Sigmon of Denver in Lincoln County. The department said Sigmon was employed by Earnhardt Grading of Stanley.

Officials say Sigmon was a spotter for dump trucks at the landfill on U.S. 301 south of Whitakers in Nash County on Monday.

According to officials, Sigmon ran into the path of the bulldozer after he saw a truck dumping in the wrong location and tried to stop it. The officials said the bulldozer operation didn't see the man.

The state says it will take three to four months to complete its investigation into the incident.



Relatives say Sigmon leaves behind two children.



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Earnhardt Grading ensures the safety and well-being of each employee and their family, by providing a safe and healthful working environment with an emphases on continuously improving through craft engagement. Our safety culture goes above and beyond compliance and focuses on recognizing and motivating our employees to strive for safety excellence.



Our keys to success starts with setting clear expectations during new-hire orientation, developing and training our employees, and recognizing our employees for participating in safety. We encourage employees to provide honest feedback on a day-to-day basis and that is our focus during our safety improvements committee meetings.



The most important asset in Earnhardt Grading is our people and our employee engagement initiatives were developed with that in mind. We have a craft safety supervisor program within the company, where we select high potential craft workers that have a passion for safety and put them through advanced safety training, coach them on best practices, and mentor them once in the field.



Earnhardt Grading wants to see our employees to earn a living, support their families and go home each day injury free.






Donnie Earnhardt ‘Bossman’ founded Earnhardt Grading in 1962. He transitioned from being a custom farmer to grading because there was a lack of rental farm land available. He bought the MotorGrader (pictured) and a D6 to get started. One of his first jobs was in Lincoln County, less than a mile from our current Headquarters.

HISTORY

1962


1970s-
1980s


Earnhardt Grading completes first major project for Duke Energy which involved raising a dam above an impoundment. We were also working heavily in the commercial, industrial, power plant and landfill industries. In 1988 we completed our first lined landfill for a private waste company. It was the first lined landfill to be constructed in NC. We employed around 40 people at the time.


1990s


We continue to focus on a variety of project types and expanded to offer our clients turnkey site work packages. We also started transitioning away from using scrapers and toward articulated trucks to operate more efficiently and cost effectively.


2000s


We’ve always utilized the latest technology to increase our efficiencies and accuracy onsite, and we started adding equipment mounted GPS systems to our equipment in 2004. We also got heavily involved in the power industry, completing 3 large FGD and 2 CTCC projects for Duke Energy.


2017


We are proud to be celebrating our 55th anniversary. Earnhardt Grading continues to look for new markets, clients and niches to support our growth. We employ over 100 people today and serve clients in the Power, Landfill, Coal Ash, commercial, industrial, mining, and additional markets. We are a leader for our quality, value, and our safety performance in our industry. We have been awarded for over 1Million man hours incident free, and are continuously improving our safety culture through employee engagement.