Page 47 - KPA 16 JULI 2015
P. 47
U.S. NEWS A5
Thursday 16 July 2015
Construction company cited in Ohio overpass collapse
LISA CORNWELL ways be in our thoughts.”
A Michigan truck driver
Associated Press traveling on I-75 was injured
in the late-night collapse
CINCINNATI (AP) — A com- when the front of his vehi-
cle was crushed by falling
pany in charge of demol- concrete and other debris.
The citations were for what
ishing a highway overpass OSHA terms “serious” vio-
lations. One citation says
that collapsed and killed employees were “exposed
to crushing and/or struck
a construction worker in by hazards” because the
bridge deck where an
January has been cited for excavator was perform-
ing demolition operations
two safety violations and wasn’t sufficiently strong to
support the equipment.
fined $14,000, a federal The second says bridge de-
molition had resumed after
agency said Wednesday. it was halted earlier when
some uplift was found in a
The Occupational Safety structural steel beam.
“The employer allowed
and Health Administration employees to continue de-
molition operations without
issued the citations and fine ensuring the corrective
methods applied were ef-
against Columbus-based fective in preventing col-
lapse of the structure,” ac-
Kokosing Construction cording to the citation.q
Co. Inc., which agreed to
the penalties on Wednes-
day, OSHA spokesman
Scott Allen said. Kokosing’s
chief executive officer
said Wednesday that the
company made an engi-
neering mistake that may
have contributed to the
collapse of the bridge and This January, 2015 photo shows work continuing in the aftermath of the bridge collapse on Inter-
state 75, in Cincinnati. Federal officials have cited a company in charge of demolishing a high-
subsequent death of the way overpass that collapsed and killed a construction worker for two safety violations and fined
it $14,000.
worker. “We have already
(Liz Dufour/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP)
taken steps to make sure a
tragedy like this never hap-
pens again,” CEO Brian
Burgett said in a statement. 3 dead, 5 missing in Kentucky flash floods
He said Kokosing has hired
an outside engineering FLAT GAP, Kentucky (AP)
— Knee-deep mud and
firm to reinforce the com- challenging geography
were hampering rescue
pany’s procedures and teams Wednesday as they
searched for six people
“check and double-check who disappeared during a
flash flood that killed three
our demolition plans” and in the state of Kentucky.
Johnson County Coroner
has thoroughly reviewed its J.R. Frisby confirmed that
a third body was found
safety procedures. Wednesday afternoon in
the same general region
The Jan. 19 collapse during of the two other bodies un-
covered Tuesday. Crews
demolition work to remove were combing the wood-
ed, mountainous terrain,
an Interstate 75 ramp hampered by swarming
mosquitoes, soupy humid-
bridge just north of down- ity and mud. Rescue teams
were going door-to-door
town Cincinnati killed Bran- to try to find the missing as
desperate families waited
don Carl. The body of the for word. “It just wears your
legs out to walk,” said Gary
35-year-old from Augusta,
Kentucky, was recovered
from the rubble hours later.
“This man and father of
four died in a preventable
workplace incident,” OSHA
Area Director Ken Mont- Robbie Taylor, left, stares at the swollen creek which destroyed the trailer he shares with his girl-
friend, Markita Trent, right, after deadly flooding in Flat Gap, Ky. Flash floods in northern Johnson
gomery said in a state- County outside of Paintsville destroyed homes and vehicles and residents were reported missing
a day after the floods.
ment. “His family will never
(AP Photo/David Stephenson)
recover from that loss and
McClure, the local emer- tor. “You walk from here you’re ready to sit down. It
the loss of livelihood.” gency management direc- to there in that mud and just pulls you down.” q
Burgett said, “Our friend
and co-worker Brandon
Carl and his family will al-
