County Commission Won't Restrict Use of Fireworks
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
☛ ☛ NTERPRISEt h e l i v i n g s t o n E Monday, June 28, 2021 •Livingston,Montana•Vol.115 No.134 $1.00 Two killed after train and semi collide By Justin Post tractor-trailer died in the caught fire on collision with the fire suppressed,” Bab- Enterprise Staff Writer crash and said he’s in the the train and that fire crews cox said. process of notifying family. arrived to extinguish the Babcox said the fire left Two occupants of a trac- Jenkins said he believes fire burning in the tractor burn marks on the front of tor-trailer were killed Sun- the two occupants were out- cab and chassis, as well as a the BNSF train engine and a day evening when their of-state commercial semi grass fire on the north side couple of its windows were vehicle collided with a train drivers. Their names were of the train. damaged but he did not east of Livingston. withheld pending family Fire crews were initially believe any of the train’s Fire crews responded to notification. met with limited access to crew were injured. the crash just after 9 p.m. Babcox said the circum- battle the blaze with the A BNSF spokesperson was Sunday, said Park Rural stances leading up to the stopped train blocking the not immediately available Fire District #1 Chief Dann crash weren’t immediately railroad crossing, Babcox for comment. Babcox. known. said. Cleanup of the tractor- The train and tractor-trail- He said the tractor was Firefighters ran water trailer continued at the er collided near the mile ripped from its trailer on hoses under the train to scene on Monday morning, marker 350 exit just north impact with the train, which reach fire burning on the Babcox said. Crews with of Interstate 90, Babcox he said carried the tractor other side of the tracks, he Park Rural Fire District #1 Photo by Danielle Babcox said. several hundred yards to said. Several small grass cleared the scene at about 1 Shown in this Monday morning photo is the burned front of Park County Coroner Al the east before coming to a fires burned at the scene. a.m. on Monday, but Babcox the BNSF locomotive engine after the collision with a tractor Jenkins confirmed Monday stop. “It was a very difficult sit- said investigators worked trailer on Sunday evening. that two occupants of the Babcox said the tractor uation but the crews did get through the night. Rescuers: Survivors could still be inside collapsed building SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — Rescue workers digging for a fifth day into the remnants of a collapsed Florida condo building stressed Monday that they could still find survivors in the rubble, a hope family members clung to even though no one has been pulled out alive since the first hours after the structure fell. Another body was recovered overnight, bringing the confirmed death toll to 10. But more than 150 people are still missing in Surf- side. Their families rode buses Sunday to a nearby site to watch the intense rescue effort, which included firefighters, sniffer dogs and search experts using radar and sonar devices. Early Monday, a crane lifted a large slab of concrete from the debris pile, enabling about 30 rescuers in hard hats to move in and carry smaller pieces of debris into red buckets, which are emptied into a larger bin for a crane to remove. The work has been compli- cated by intermittent rain showers, but the fires that hampered the initial search have been extinguished. Andy Alvarez, a deputy incident command- er with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that rescuers have been able to find some voids inside the wreck- age, mostly in the basement and the parking garage. “We have over 80 rescuers at a time that are breaching the walls that collapsed, in a frantic effort to try to rescue those that are still viable and to get to those voids that we typically know exist in these buildings,” Alva- Enterprise photo by Lydia Ely rez said. Fireworks stand owner Jamie Denny leans on the counter of her fireworks stand south of Livingston Monday morning. Denny said “We have been able to tunnel through the her fire safety motto is, “Fire, it’s the reason we’re safe every season. Have a spotter and plenty of water.” building,” Alvarez added. “This is a frantic search to seek that hope, that miracle, to see who we can bring out of this building alive.” Others who have seen the wreckage up close were daunted by the task ahead. Alfre- do Lopez, who lived with his wife in a sixth- County Commission won’t floor corner apartment and narrowly escaped, said he finds it hard to believe any- one is alive in the rubble. “If you saw what I saw: nothingness. And then, you go over there and you see, like, all the rubble. How can somebody survive that?” restrict use of fireworks Lopez told The Associated Press. Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai, head of a humanitarian delegation from By Jason Bacaj Fire District #1. I have failed to con- Calls to the Park County Attorney’s Israel that includes several search-and-res- Enterprise Staff Writer vince our county commission body to Office Friday and Monday went unre- cue experts, said professionals have told him ban the use of fireworks during this turned. Commissioners Clint Tinsley of cases where survivors were found after ebate has ignited over high fire danger period,” Babcox wrote. and Bill Berg did not return phone calls 100 hours or more. “I am not opposed to the purchasing or Monday. “So don’t lose hope, that’s what I would say,” whether the Park selling of fireworks… I am simply Nearby Yellowstone County entered he said. County Commission opposed to the use of any incendiary into Stage II fire restrictions last week, Some families had hoped their visit to the D device when the weather and fuel load- which prohibits using fireworks. A site near the 12-story building would enable should take action on the use ing is at this critical point.” press release accompanying the them to shout messages to loved ones possi- of fireworks ahead of the Caldwell said the county intends to restrictions noted that the Yellowstone bly buried inside the pile. As they returned to keep fire restrictions consistent with County commissioners “understand the a nearby hotel, several paused to embrace as Fourth of July weekend. federal restrictions on U.S. Forest Ser- need for celebration — particularly this they got off the bus. Others walked slowly vice and Bureau of Land Management year — and are pleased to note that with arms around each other back to the hotel Park County came under Stage I fire land around the county so as to mini- there will still be approved, permitted entrance. restrictions Friday after an emergency mize confusion about what sort of fireworks displays.” “We are just waiting for answers. That’s ordinance was signed by Steve activity is allowed where. Yellowstone County Attorney Scott what we want,” said Dianne Ohayon, whose Caldwell, commission chairman. Coun- Caldwell said the last time county Twilo explained that under Stage II parents, Myriam and Arnie Notkin, were in ty commissioners are expected to officials were faced with the decision restrictions, a sheriff’s deputy could the building. “It’s hard to go through these affirm the decision at tomorrow morn- of whether to address the use of fire- cite them with one of two violations: long days and we haven’t gotten any answers ing’s meeting. works came in 2017. At that time, he MCA 7-33-2206, which requires a per- yet.” Park County Rural Fire District #1 verified with the county attorney’s mit to ignite a fire; and MCA 50-37-103 Chief Dann Babcox has been vocal office that counties have no explicit Section 6 Subsection B, where the use about wanting commissioners to authority under state law to ban the use of fireworks could result in substantial increase the restrictions to include a of fireworks. risk to people or property. ban on using fireworks. He took to He did note that other counties, such Twilo stressed that enforcing these Facebook on Monday morning to ask as Yellowstone County, have historical- laws is dependent on the sheriff’s depu- “every person that lives or passes ly taken a more aggressive approach to ty’s investigation, and that it’s perfectly through” Park County to use extreme the use of fireworks during times of legal for people to possess fireworks. discretion over the upcoming Indepen- high fire danger. “We do not want deputies to seize the dence Day weekend. “Our position is that we’d rather stay fireworks because fireworks can be “I want to take a minute to apologize within the clear boundaries of state lawfully possessed,” Twilo said. “They to the residents and tax payers of Rural law,” Caldwell said. just can’t be shot off.” Fireworks cause weekend grass fire Fireworks cause weekend grass fire By Jason Bacaj around 6 p.m. yesterday caused the We’re in an extreme situation right By Jason EnterpriseBacaj Staff Writer small fire and suffered minor inju- now,” MacInnes said. “Fireworks in Enterprise Staff Writer ries in the incident. MacInnes said the city are illegal and people will be Mishandled fireworks last night on his department got lucky because the cited for shooting fireworks within the northMishandled side of town fireworks quickly last esca- night oncall the came north in atside a time of town when quickly many escalatedthe intocity.