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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 5 February 2020

Girl's fall into grease pit prompts effort to toughen fines

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) rant fails to comply. It now ter gasping for air. both of her own arms, "and pital and was treated for a
— Kara Cvechko recalled goes to the House of Del- "The smell is something I can't she was still slipping." few cuts but otherwise was
her heart pounding as she egates. even describe," Cvechko "I was just really scared and fine.
scrambled headfirst down The outdoor grease pits said. "I really thought it overwhelmed at the whole Outdoor grease tanks can
into an outdoor grease would be required to have was raw sewage."The sub- situation." hold hundreds of gallons
pit to save her 5-year-old locked manhole covers de- stance was so slick that it Eventually, Kambria was and are designed to keep
daughter who had fallen signed to withstand loads required her holding onto lifted to the surface. She used oil and grease out of
through an unsecured and prevent access by her daughter's arm with underwent X-rays at a hos- sewer systems. q

In this screen grab provided by WCHS-TV on Nov. 15, 2019 shows
Kara Cvechko, left, at her home in South Charleston, W.Va., with
her 5-year-old daughter, Kambria.
Associated Press

opening at a West Virginia children.
restaurant. "We need to take every
Kambria Cvechko's birth- measure possible to ensure
day celebration turned the public's safety," said the
to horror on Nov. 11 when bill's sponsor, Sen. Glenn
she stepped on the loose Jeffries, a Putnam County
lid and fell through. Sub- Democrat.
merged in grease, she was Cvechko said she would
eventually pulled out. also like to see other states
"You see an accident and pass similar laws.
your mom instincts just kick She and her family were
in," Cvechko said. leaving a Charleston res-
It was at least the fourth taurant when Kambria and
such incident involving a other children ran to play
child falling into a grease on a grassy area. When
pit nationwide since 2017. Cvechko told the children
Two of them were fatal. to come to the car, Kam-
Now legislation is moving bria unknowingly walked
through the West Virginia across the pit's lid, which
Legislature to toughen fines flipped like a teeter-totter,
for restaurants that fail to sending her through the
secure the lids of those col- narrow opening.
lection pits. The state Sen- Screaming for help, Kara
ate passed a bill on a 33-0 Cvechko scurried down the
vote Tuesday that would in- hole headfirst as two other
crease fines from $5 to $50 children anchored her feet.
for each day that a restau- She could hear her daugh-