Stephen Cogar, 22, worker with the WV state Division of Highways, died of smoke inhalation from the fire at the garage located at Cherry Falls, WV.

Stephen Cogar, 22, who has been with the DOH since October, died of smoke inhalation from the fire at the garage located at Cherry Falls.  Here in 2013

Stephen Cogar, 22, who has been with the DOH since October, died of smoke inhalation from the fire at the garage located at Cherry Falls.  Here with his pop who died in 2014.

Stephen Cogar, 22, who has been with the DOH since October, died of smoke inhalation from the fire at the garage located at Cherry Falls.

By Jeff Jenkins in News

December 04, 2017 at 5:40PM

CHERRY FALLS, W.Va. — A worker with the state Division of Highways died as a result of a fire early Monday morning at DOH headquarters in Webster County, authorities said.

Stephen Cogar, 22, who has been with the DOH since October, died of smoke inhalation from the fire at the garage located at Cherry Falls.

A news release from the Webster County Office of Emergency Services said Webster County received several 911 hang-up calls from Cogar’s cell phone. Before that, Cogar had been chatting with a Webster County dispatcher on social media.

A Webster County deputy was dispatched to the DOH garage after the hang-up calls, the release said.

“(The deputy) was immediately dispatched to investigate the calls after numerous attempts to contact Mr. Cogar via cell phone and landline phone at DOH Headquarters. At approximately 2:41am, Deputy Clayton arrived on scene reporting a working fire at the West Virginia Department of Highways Headquarters in Webster Springs.”

The state Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

State DOH spokesman Brent Walker said the news of Cogar’s death was devastating.

“He certainly was a valued team member. We are just all kind of shocked,” Walker said, adding it’s not unusual for a crew member to work overnight in some of the mountain counties.
“Temperatures, especially in the higher elevations, have really been cold and so it absolutely is not uncommon for us to have a shift or a person on call.”

DOH Secretary Tom Smith issued a statement in connection with the death:

“Early this morning, there was a fire at our Webster County Maintenance Headquarters. Tragically, one of our team members lost their life. Knowing what to say in these situations is always difficult for us, but as Secretary of Transportation, I will tell you that we are devastated and heartbroken and I hope, in the coming days, I can reach out to the family and personally express our sorrow. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and co-workers.”

Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice issued a joint statement Monday afternoon:

“Cathy and I are heartbroken upon learning of the death of a West Virginia Division of Highways worker early this morning during a fire at the DOH Headquarters in Webster County. It’s tragic to lose one of our state employees, especially one so young. We ask all West Virginians to join us in praying for the family, friends and co-workers of this young man.”

Justice also began a news conference at the Capitol this afternoon with a moment of silence for the young DOH worker.

“We’ve lost a new employee at the age of 22. It’s tragic to lose a life,” Justice said. “It’s tragic to have a fire. We don’t know the circumstances. But we do know we’ve lost a young man. It’s especially bad when we lose someone who is 22 years old.”



Bernadette Gibson Griffith ·
Works at West Virginia Department of Transportation

As a former Webster County DOH employee I can assure you there is nothing out of the ordinary. In winter months there is a night watchman even if it is not calling for snow, they check the roads for slick spots and call out crews as directed by the County Supervisor in case of snow. And yes when I worked there the shift started on Sunday nights. May this young man Rest In Peace.





Gov. Jim Justice and First Lady Cathy Justice issued the following statement today upon learning of the death of a 22-year-old West Virginia Division of Highways worker in Webster County.

"Cathy and I are heartbroken upon learning of the death of a West Virginia Division of Highways worker early this morning during a fire at the DOH Headquarters in Webster County. It's tragic to lose one of our state employees, especially one so young. We ask all West Virginians to join us in praying for the family, friends and co-workers of this young man."





Statement from Secretary of Transportation Tom Smith on Death of Webster County DOH Employee:



“Early this morning, there was a fire at our Webster County Maintenance Headquarters. Tragically, one of our team members lost their life. Knowing what to say in these situations is always difficult for us, but as Secretary of Transportation, I will tell you that we are devastated and heartbroken and I hope, in the coming days, I can reach out to the family and personally express our sorrow. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and co-workers.”

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WEBSTER COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- UPDATE 12/4/17 @ 2:15 p.m.
The name of a WVDOH worker who died in a fire at a DOH headquarters site in Webster County has been released.

Stephen Cogar, 22, died in the fire early Monday morning.

According to a release, Webster County 911 received two hang-up calls from a cell phone.

After searching the number, 911 discovered the phone was registered to Cogar. 911 dispatchers had talked to him several times via social media before the hang-up calls.

Deputies were sent to the headquarters in Cherry Falls after numerous attempts to call Cogar and the landline phone at headquarters went unanswered.

When first responders arrived on scene, the building was heavily involved.

Cogar was found inside the building and Cogar was pronounced dead at the hospital after aggressive attempts to save his life.

The West Virginia State Fire Marshal's Office is investigating the cause of the fire.

Senator Greg Boso, R-Nicholas, and Senator Robert Karnes, R-Upshur, issued the following statement about Cogar's death:

“On behalf of the entire West Virginia Senate, we extend our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and co-workers of Stephen Cogar. It is a sobering tragedy to lose one of our state employees, especially one so early in his life. May God bring peace and comfort to all who knew him, and our thoughts and our prayers will be with them in the coming days as they remember his life.”



ORIGINAL STORY 12/4/17
A transportation worker has died after a fire at the West Virginia Division of Highways headquarters in Webster County.

Officials say the man died of smoke inhalation at the facility in Cherry Falls.

The fire started early Monday morning.

According to a release, the worker had been employed with DOH since October.

The name of the worker has not been released at this time.

Keep checking WSAZ Mobile and WSAZ.com for the latest information.

69-year-old Grace C. Strazza of Paterson was struck and killed by a vehicle as she was crossing Union Avenue in Totowa in front of a Union 5 & 10 True Value store about 5:15 p.m.

TOTOWA, New Jersey (WABC) -- 


Police in New Jersey are searching for a suspect in a hit-and-run crash that killed a woman.

Authorities say 69-year-old Grace Strazza of Paterson was struck by a vehicle as she was crossing Union Avenue in Totowa at about 5:20 p.m. Monday.

She was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center.

The vehicle that struck her fled the scene, police say.

The investigation remains active and ongoing.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident to call the tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org or contact the Totowa Police Department at 973-790-3700.




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




By Anthony G. Attrino

tattrino@njadvancemedia.com,

NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Authorities have identified the pedestrian killed Monday in a hit-and-run crash in Totowa as 69-year-old Paterson woman.

Grace Strazza was hit by a vehicle as she crossed Union Avenue in front of a Union 5 & 10 store about 5:15 p.m. The driver fled before police arrived, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Totowa Police Chief Robert Coyle.

Paramedics took Strazza to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, where she died shortly after 6 p.m.

"The investigation remains active and ongoing. More information will be released once it becomes available," Valdes and Coyle said in a joint statement.

Anyone with information is asked to call 1-877-370-PCPO or 973-790-3700. Tips may be emailed to tips@passaiccountynj.org.




The vicitm is also known as Grace Ying Strazza, Grace Ying Chen.======================

1 dead in Totowa hit-and-run, police say

Updated Dec 4, 8:46 PM; Posted Dec 4, 8:46 PM

By Alex Napoliello

anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com,

NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

A pedestrian was fatally struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run Monday evening in Totowa, police said.

Little information about the incident was immediately available Monday night.

The fatal crash happened at 5:20 p.m. on Masklee Court, police said.

The victim, a woman believed to be in her 60s, was pronounced dead, according to police.

No description of the suspected vehicle was available.

The incident remains under investigation by the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, the Totowa Police Department and the Passaic County Sheriff's Office.

Republic Services worker Luis Flores,47, died after he became caught in a hydraulic arm used to operate the netting on top of the truck he was operating at the Tessman Road Landfill

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -

The identity of the man who died at an East Side landfill Monday morning has been released.

Luis Flores, 47, was identified as the man who died in an equipment accident, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office.

Flores became caught in a hydraulic arm used to operate the netting on top of the truck he was operating, police said.

No one saw exactly what happened but San Antonio Police Officer Carlos Ortiz said Flores drove to the Tessman Road Landfill around 9:55 a.m. in a commercial dump truck.


Someone found Flores outside his truck with severe injuries about 10 minutes later.

"Someone called police saying he looked like he was in distress," Ortiz said. "But by that point there was no chance of saving him."



Paramedics pronounced Flores dead at 10:15 a.m.

Ortiz described the incident as an "unfortunate industrial accident."

Detectives are looking into the death.

It wasn't immediately clear whether the victim was an employee of the landfill.

Representatives of Republic Services, the company that operates the landfill, said they couldn't immediately comment on the situation.
=======================


SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -



A man was killed Monday morning in a workplace accident at a landfill on the city's East Side.

The victim's body was found at Republic Services Tessman Road Landfill off Interstate 10 near Foster Road, police said.

Officer Carlos Ortiz, of the San Antonio Police Department, said the man signed in around 9:54 a.m. to discard some trash. Minutes later, someone found his body next to his trash truck, police said.

According to a police report, an officer arrived to the find the victim caught in a hydraulic arm that's used to operate the netting which covers the load of the truck.

No one witnessed the accident, police said.

The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office will determine the cause of death.

Appliance failure caused a fire and an estimated $40,000 in damages at the Livestock Café in Visalia, California.

A kitchen fire caused an estimated $40,000 in damages to Visalia's Livestock Cafe early Sunday morning. (Photo: Calley Cederlof)

Appliance failure causes early morning fire at Visalia restaurant
Calley Cederlof, ccederlof@visaliatimesdelta.com 

Published 12:54 p.m. PT Dec. 3, 2017 

VISALIA, CALIFORNIA


An early morning blaze caused an estimated $40,000 in damages to a Visalia restaurant.

Just before 1 a.m. on Sunday, Visalia Fire Department was called to a fire at the Livestock Café, located on the Visalia Stockyard property in northeast Visalia. When they arrived, they saw fire and smoke billowing out of the restaurant's roof.

Fire crews entered the building and discovered the kitchen ablaze and flames threatening to spread.


The cause of the fire is accidental and appears to be related to an equipment failure in the kitchen, Visalia fire officials said.

There were no injuries and the business was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

Three fire engines, one ladder truck and one battalion chief responded to the incident.

It's not known when the restaurant will be allowed to reopen.

An appliance failure appears to be the culprit here, perhaps a motor malfunction.

Another cause could be a grease fire.  They typically happen after the closing of the restaurant in the hood exhaust area of the kitchen where accumulated grease smolders and eventually catches fire.  Lack of proper cleaning is the typical culprit.

Smoking and non-functioning smoke alarm led to the apartment fire that killed 12-year-old boy Thomas J. Curley in Rockaway Park, Queens, NY

Thomas Curley died from smoke inhalation three hours after the accidental blaze erupted in the Queens building. (Facebook)

Thomas Curley died from smoke inhalation three hours after the accidental blaze erupted in the Queens building. (Facebook)

Smoking, broken fire alarm led to Queens blaze that killed 12-year-old boy


BY Laura Dimon
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Monday, December 4, 2017, 9:52 AM

Smoking — combined with a defunct smoke alarm — caused the tragic Queens fire that killed a 12-year-old boy, the FDNY said.

Thomas Curley died from smoke inhalation three hours after the accidental blaze erupted in the apartment building on Ocean Promenade near Beach 123rd St. in Rockaway Park around 3:05 a.m. Sunday, according to officials. He was rushed to Nassau Community Medical Center, but could not be saved.

"Per FDNY Fire Marshals: Cause of this morning's fatal all-hands fire at 122-20 Ocean Promenade QNS was accidental, smoking. Smoke alarm not operational," read a Sunday night tweet from the FDNY.



Thomas' heartbroken neighbors described the boy as good-natured and said he played the trumpet at Scholars' Academy. "He's a well-mannered, good kid from a good family," said Justin Martin, 33. "If I ever had a son, I'd want him to be just like that."



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

December 4, 2017


NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — 

A 12-year-old boy died after being found unresponsive early Sunday in a fire in Rockaway Park, Queens.

As CBS2’s Hazel Sanchez reported, black soot marked the windows of the apartment where 12-year-old Thomas J. Curly lost his life. First responders were called at 3:10 a.m. for the fire in the building at 122-20 Ocean Promenade.

Once the fire was out, responders found the boy — known to his family as T.J. — unconscious and unresponsive at the scene, police said.


T.J. was rushed to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.


Bob Canavan is the boy’s neighbor.

“Around 4 o’clock in the morning, a man was knocking on my window. He was on the fire escape saying there was a fire. ‘You got to get out! You got to get out now!’” Canavan said. “So I opened the door to the hall, but there was so much smoke. You couldn’t get out there.”

Neighbors said T.J.’s mother, Brianne Curly – along with her boyfriend and the boy’s grandfather – found their way out of the burning apartment.

Brianna Curly was screaming for help to save her son trapped inside. Firefighters discovered his lifeless body.

Friends said T.J.’s smile could light up the room, and he made everyone he met feel special.

“A happy, jolly kid. If you were upset, he would hug you no matter who you were,” said friend Gianna Cillia. “If you were a stranger and you were upset, he would hug you. He was different.”

Gianna said T.J. was her best friend. She woke up to the devastating news of the fire that took his life.

Neighbors could not believe the sweet boy they called T.J. was gone.

“He was just a good all around kid,” said neighbor Louis Harris. “Everybody liked him.”

“He was a very, very nice little boy” another neighbor said. “Very nice.”

“He was excited! The tree lighting, Santa Claus – just, just sad,” said friend Luisa Guzman.

While the neighborhood mourned the loss of a bright, musically talented young boy with an old soul, many were worried about his mother losing her only son.

“He’s not like the rest of the kids,” Gianna said. “No one was like him.”

“You can never accept that. That’s one thing that can never be OK with,” said Barbara Cilla, ‘and I know his mom is going to be awfully upset for a very long time.”

The New York City Fire Marshal ruled that the cause of the fire was smoking, and the fire was accidental. The smoke alarms were not operational.

T.J.’s surviving family members all had their conditions listed as stable late Sunday.

Students at P.S. 114 in Belle Harbor where T.J. went to school will all wear blue in his honor on Monday. Blue was T.J.’s favorite color.

The New York City Medical Examiner’s office will determine the cause of T.J.’s death.