Two Alabama men die after guy wire is clipped
Update: August 3, 2010 - A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed in east Alabama by the family of a man who died after a radio tower collapsed. The incident happened last Thursday in Fort McClellan.
A truck hit the tower causing it to fall while the tower technicians were at the 40-foot level.
The family of Barry Sloan has filed a lawsuit against the driver of the truck and the truck’s owner, Barnhart Crane and Rigging Company Incorporated.
Barnhart has over 20 branches across the U.S. and is frequently used by the industry to install and maintain communications structures.
Attorney Chris Glover said a bucket truck was parked close to the tower’s guy wires.
“The men had finished their work and everyone was clearing out,” Glover said.
“Stephens was in the process of moving the truck. He did not manage the space around the vehicle well and became entangled in the support wire.”
According to Glover, the tower then began to fall, but Stephens probably didn’t realize it until the tower was already down.
“At the very least, they should have paid more attention to their surroundings,” he said. “At the very least you sit still until the men get down. You have to be aware of your surroundings when you’re driving any vehicle.”
Barnhart Crane and Rigging Company said in a statement, “The radio tower collapse at the Fort McClellan Industrial Park is a great tragedy. Our thoughts, prayers, and deepest sympathies go out to the families involved. Barnhart is cooperating fully with all authorities in investigating the accident to determine the cause.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
July 22, 2010 - Two tower technicians died after the Anniston, Alabama guyed tower they were working on Thursday was accidentally knocked down.
Calhoun County Coroner Pat Brown pronounced Barry Sloan, 37, of Albertville dead at the scene at 4:16 p.m. His co-worker, Jonce Hubble, 41, of Albertville died in surgery at UAB Hospital around 9 p.m.
Both victims were employees of Anniston-based McCord Communications and were working on a tower off of Alps Drive in McClellan.
Brown said according to preliminary estimates, the two victims fell about 40 feet.
Both the police department and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating the incident.
Brown said he could not release the exact cause of the accident, but noted the incident involved a vehicle.
The two tower technicians were on the tower and there was a truck which hit a guy-wire, which caused the tower to fall, Brown said.
“There were several people around working on the scene,” Brown said. “Both men received assistance right away.”
An OSHA spokesperson said he would not identify whether the truck belonged to McCord Communications, stating that there will be no comment until the agency's final report is complete and ready to be made public.
Sloan and Hubble were the fifth and sixth tower technicians to die this year after falling from a structure. In 2009 five workers were killed.
The guyed tower, just shy of 200 feet, is not registered with the FCC. It is located about a mile east of Highway 21 in Fort McClellan on property leased to the Alabama National Guard . It is part of a system that provides communication to personnel at Pelham Range through the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.
Following the U.S. Army base's closure in 1999, the property was turned over to the City of Anniston for economic redevelopment and McClellan has become home to over 900 residents and a work place for more than 3,000 employees.
Established in 1947, McCord Communications specializes in two-way, mass notification and broadband systems design and installation. Their main office is in Anniston with service centers in Gadsen and Albertville.
No comments:
Post a Comment