CASPER (WNE) – The 36-year-old Gillette man who died in October following an explosion and fire at an oil field site in Campbell County was a recent hire to the company with limited training, according to the Wyoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s preliminary narrative of events.
The state OSHA employees are still investigating the incident, but the fatal alert — a summary of initial facts and findings — notes a more formal training program and a reevaluation of the oil field site’s hazards for workers may be necessary for the employer. Significant factors in the fatality and recommendations from the state could change in the final report.
Beau Damori had worked for JCG LLC, the company that holds the permit for the disposal facility north of Gillette, for less than two weeks when the explosion occurred. He was working on the site on Oct. 31 with two roustabouts who were employed by the oil field services firm Tisdale Creek Ranch Inc. The three men had drawn water from a containment pit into a truck and were then emptying the water into a brining building — part of the process prior to injecting salty oil field water underground — according to the fatal alert.
Damori left the brining building, saying that he needed to check the heater treater unit. The other two men did not later recall what specifically Damori had gone to fix, but within two minutes of him leaving, they heard an explosion, according to the fatal alert.
The fatal alert notes that limited training for Damori might have been a “significant factor” in the event.
Jail for Evanston man who abused 2-year-old
EVANSTON (WNE) – An Evanston man will spend a year in jail and three years on probation for aggravated child abuse for intentionally inflicting serious bodily injury on a 2-year-old child.
Harry H. Townsend, 20, was sentenced in Third District Court on Tuesday, Jan. 15, as the result of a plea agreement with the Uinta County Attorney’s office.
Townsend entered a plea of no contest to the felony child abuse charge and was sentenced to a minimum of four and a maximum of seven years of imprisonment; however, the sentence was split in part and suspended in part, with one year to be served in the Uinta County Jail and another three years of supervised probation.
Townsend was arrested n October after taking the child to Evanston Regional Hospital for evaluation. Townsend was involved in a relationship with the child’s mother and was babysitting while the mother was away.
At ERH he claimed the child was dropped from a crib; however, pediatrician Dr. Bird Gilmartin placed the child in protective custody due to injuries consistent with child abuse.
According to an affidavit filed in support of Townsend’s arrest, the child had broken bones of the right arm and extensive facial injuries, along with a healing fracture of the left arm, bruising and other signs of older, healing injuries.
When Townsend was questioned by law enforcement, at first he claimed he had dropped the child; however, he later changed his story and told investigators he had “tossed” the child to the ground and “snapped” his arm.
Townsend also admitted he had been “angrily hurting” and physically abusing the toddler for approximately a month.
Cam-Plex wins $1.5 million
grant for upgrades
GILLETTE (WNE) – After being turned down twice by the Wyoming Business Council board and staff, Cam-plex has secured a $1.5 million grant to help upgrade the Heritage Center and Energy Hall from the State Loan and Investment Board.
Cam-plex had requested $3 million to cover half of the expenses for a $6 million renovation of the two buildings.
After nearly an hour of discussion at the SLIB meeting Thursday morning, a compromise was made to OK half the request and for the Business Council to work with the city of Gillette, Campbell County and Cam-plex for a possible future loan for the remaining costs.
SLIB is made up of the top five elected officials in the state. After the election in November, there was some turnover from the last administration.
SLIB now includes Gov. Mark Gordon, Secretary of State Ed Buchanan, Auditor Kristi Racines, Treasurer Curt Meier and Superintendent of Public Instruction Julian Balow.
Commission Chairman Rusty Bell, who was one of many local representatives who spoke at the meeting, said that Balow, Racines and Gordon had great things to say about Cam-plex and all said they know the importance of the events facility to the economy in Campbell County.
Although Cam-plex didn’t get the full amount it asked for, Bell said the meeting was a success.
“When we started the meeting we had zero dollars,” he said. “We’re leaving here with the $1.5 million and feel really good about that.”
Rock Springs explores filing opioid lawsuit
ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) – The Rock Springs City Council tabled a resolution Tuesday to file a lawsuit related to opioid abuse and addiction as it explores more options.
Rock Springs Mayor Tim Kaumo, Councilmen Keaton West, David Halter, Rob Zotti, Billy Shalata and David Tate and Councilwomen Glennise Wendorf and Jeannie Demas voted to table the issue.
Kaumo said the city is still in full support of the idea, but it wants to explore costs and law firms.
The city is considering hiring Ochs Law Firm, based out of Jackson. However, calls to the firm are being routed through California. The mayor said the city wants to look for someone who is from Wyoming.
The goal of any potential litigation would be “to pursue all civil remedies against those in the chain of distribution of prescription opiates responsible for the opioid epidemic, which is plaguing the city of Rock Springs,” a meeting packet states.
