Crap Happens
Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 8:38 am
City employee falls in raw sewage, pronounced dead at hospital
December 12, 2006
Shreveport, LA - A 47-year-old city of Shreveport employee died Monday after falling into an open, wastewater treatment container at Lucas Waste Water Treatment Plant.
Pastor Douglas, a maintenance worker at the plant for two years, was standing atop of the 15-foot-deep container preparing to clear foam from collecting at the top of the open-air container with a high pressure hose. He was working with another Lucas Waste Water employee at the time of the incident, who went to turn on the pressure hoses used to minimize unnecessary foam. When the employee returned, Douglas wasn't standing atop the container.
"He was doing a normal cleanup type deal" said Mike Strong, director of operational services for the city. "I'm not sure exactly if it was a slip or the hose with the water pressure on it knocked him off, but he went into the basin."
The other Lucas Waste Water employee followed emergency procedures and the Shreveport Fire Department was notified at 1:02 p.m., according to Brian Crawford, Fire Department assistant chief and spokesman.
The Fire Department arrived on the scene, located on the 1100 block of East Kings Highway, at 1:05 p.m.; the Fire Department was able to use pike polls to pull Douglas out of the biodegradable sewage and sludge container.
Douglas had no pulse when he was pulled out. Officials said they believe he was under water for about eight to 15 minutes. He was rushed to Willis-Knighton Pierremont where emergency room doctors worked on the patient outside, because of contamination issues.
Douglas never regained a pulse and was pronounced dead at 1:55 p.m.
"I've never had anything like this to happen in Shreveport, as it relates to water and sewerage or public works people," said Strong. "This is a tough deal."
Strong estimated the last on-the-job accidental death of a city worker occurred sometime in the 1970s.
Mayor Cedric Glover told council members of Douglas' death near the end of the City Council meeting, and he left the meeting to meet with Douglas' widow.
"Unfortunately, we suffered a loss today," Glover said. "We'd like to express our sympathy to Mr. Douglas' family."
The incident is under investigation by the city and other state and federal authorities. Douglas' body will be sent to Little Rock, Ark., for an autopsy, and results are expected in 16 to 18 weeks, Crawford said.
"This is an unfortunate situation that I've never seen in my career," Crawford said. "We sympathize with the employees and the family."
December 12, 2006
Shreveport, LA - A 47-year-old city of Shreveport employee died Monday after falling into an open, wastewater treatment container at Lucas Waste Water Treatment Plant.
Pastor Douglas, a maintenance worker at the plant for two years, was standing atop of the 15-foot-deep container preparing to clear foam from collecting at the top of the open-air container with a high pressure hose. He was working with another Lucas Waste Water employee at the time of the incident, who went to turn on the pressure hoses used to minimize unnecessary foam. When the employee returned, Douglas wasn't standing atop the container.
"He was doing a normal cleanup type deal" said Mike Strong, director of operational services for the city. "I'm not sure exactly if it was a slip or the hose with the water pressure on it knocked him off, but he went into the basin."
The other Lucas Waste Water employee followed emergency procedures and the Shreveport Fire Department was notified at 1:02 p.m., according to Brian Crawford, Fire Department assistant chief and spokesman.
The Fire Department arrived on the scene, located on the 1100 block of East Kings Highway, at 1:05 p.m.; the Fire Department was able to use pike polls to pull Douglas out of the biodegradable sewage and sludge container.
Douglas had no pulse when he was pulled out. Officials said they believe he was under water for about eight to 15 minutes. He was rushed to Willis-Knighton Pierremont where emergency room doctors worked on the patient outside, because of contamination issues.
Douglas never regained a pulse and was pronounced dead at 1:55 p.m.
"I've never had anything like this to happen in Shreveport, as it relates to water and sewerage or public works people," said Strong. "This is a tough deal."
Strong estimated the last on-the-job accidental death of a city worker occurred sometime in the 1970s.
Mayor Cedric Glover told council members of Douglas' death near the end of the City Council meeting, and he left the meeting to meet with Douglas' widow.
"Unfortunately, we suffered a loss today," Glover said. "We'd like to express our sympathy to Mr. Douglas' family."
The incident is under investigation by the city and other state and federal authorities. Douglas' body will be sent to Little Rock, Ark., for an autopsy, and results are expected in 16 to 18 weeks, Crawford said.
"This is an unfortunate situation that I've never seen in my career," Crawford said. "We sympathize with the employees and the family."
