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#210386 06/19/13 01:40 AM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 193
S
Member
This is a local story. An inspection wouldn't necessarily have saved a life but it sure would have helped their chances.

http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/3ef20157-www.wlos.com.shtml#.UcEluflOM9I


Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,381
Likes: 7
Member
I can't get the link to open, it may be a filter at my work office, or the link is bad.

If you could check the link in the meanwhile, or post the relevance here it will be appreciated.



John
Joined: Jul 2004
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BOONE, N.C. (AP) -- A Boone inspector says a motel pool heater that leaked carbon monoxide and killed a Washington state couple and later a South Carolina boy was installed without the knowledge of the town's inspection department. Todd Miller with the Boone Planning and Inspections Department says the Best Western Plus Blue Ridge Plaza never told the city about the new heater. Miller says the motel did not apply for a required permit for the change. Officials say carbon monoxide poisoning killed 73-year-old Daryl Jenkins and 72-year-old Shirley Jenkins of Longview, Wash., on April 16. They were staying in a room directly over the pool's maintenance room. Eleven-year-old Jeffrey Lee Williams of Rock Hill, S.C., died in the same room June 8. An attorney for the motel did not respond to a message.

Read More at: http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/3ef20157-www.wlos.com.shtml#.UcH_QtimXux


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
Please spare me the usual assertion that a piece of paper makes any difference at all. Remember the Space Shuttle Challenger? Everything was inspected, signed off on - and BOOM!

To be fair, the media seems to have lost the ability to actually report on anything. Few stories have any meat behind the headline.

Now ... perhaps ... had the report contained a statement like "Inspector Smith stated that the heater was found to lack proper venting, and was obviously installed by someone who had no knowledge of the trade," the article might actually have done some good.

Better yet would be a more specific statement, such as "The heater exhaust was placed right next to a fresh air intake for the room above." That sort of statement would have educated folks as to the correct way, and why it matters.

Instead, we hear a commissar fretting that some serf failed to first kneel to the bureaucracy.

As reported, for all we know there is absolutely nothing wrong with the heater. We don't even know what was 'new' about the heater- had there been any sort of heater there before?

If City Hall doesn't want to poison the trial by discussing specifics ... I bet the paper would be willing to co-operate in writing an abstract sidebar on the topic.

Spare me chat about 'the lawyers.' All lawyers care about are their cases - and there are no cases without bodies. Small wonder folks assume some 'lawyer' would advise against an informative statement.

I'd also like to see such reporting identify all the involved parties. Like, say: who did the actual work? Contractor? Pool Guy? Hotel clerk's second cousin working for cash?

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,381
Likes: 7
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Reno:

FWIW, the point is there was no inspections as a result of unpermitted work.

The points that you make proper venting, exhaust placement, etc., would have been noted by a competent inspector.

It's a shame that lives are lost.

Yes, I'm one of the bureaucracy as you reference, I do not expect anyone to kneel. The basic purpose of inspectors is life safety, and compliance with the state regulations.

How about, where there any CO detectors??



John
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 193
S
Member
Would an inspection have saved lives? There is a good chance that it would have. At minimum it would have forced the installer to have some accountability for his work. It is a shame that a routine install caused these deaths.

I don't think there were any detectors. A different report said that they would be installed due to accident.

Joined: Apr 2002
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Sad that it took lives to have CO detectors installed.




John
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 402
J
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The link is no longer valid.

Why were there two separate incidents over a month apart? Did they not investigate the first one properly?

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 251
W
Member
In this case bureaucracy may have save a life and cost a life. The first death was investigated by the ME office and the ME failed to promptly report there findings to the police investigators (first CO death)If this was done the second death could have been prevented. On the other hand, the bldg that collapsed on the Salvation Army bldg and killed several people was inspected before it fell. The inspector later committed suicide. Inspectors only help keep us safe. Only good workmanship and us as contractors following code and proper installation practices will prevent such tragedies. I consider an inspector only a back up to this.

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
That's the point - and why the media is so feeble!

From the article, we don't know WHAT was new. Had they simply replaced an old unit with a new, there never was a permit required.

Nor are we told there was anything wrong with the instal. For all we know, the heater had nothing to do with the deaths. CO can come from many places.

There's not even a vague accusation that improper work was done by unqualified parties.

Instead, we ASSUME.

We also assume that an inspection would have identified the dangers present. I've been through far too many inspections to have any faith in the inspector finding anything.

CO detectors? Frankly, that's another discussion. I'm not convinced of their efficacy.

It's pretty clear-by now- that my main gripe is with the pathetic media report.

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