BUENOS AIRES, Argentina _ A commuter train went out of control and slammed into a retaining barrier in a central Buenos Aires train station during peak rush hour Wednesday morning, killing at least 49 people and injuring more than 500, federal police officials said.

After impact, many cars pancaked or jumped the tracks, killing both passengers and people waiting at the station to board. No official cause of the accident had been determined by midday, but officials speculated that a brake or system failure or human error sent the train out of control.

Police spokesman Nestor Rodriguez said the train was traveling about 15 mph and that the toll could have been much higher had it been traveling faster.

The train that crashed was on the Sarmiento line that brings commuters to central Buenos Aires, the capital, from the western reaches of the metropolis.

Three hours after the crash, rescue workers with the Emergency Medical Care System along with firefighters and police were working frantically to free trapped passengers and extract victims from the twisted and compacted wreckage of the train.

Television coverage of the wreck showed scenes of anguish and desperation among people seeking news of friends and relatives on the train. Several hospitals were coping with treating the estimated 550 injured people.

One passenger who identified himself only as Emanuel told the newspaper El Clarin that he was nearing the end of his commute to his job when he felt a strong impact, followed by passengers "falling on top of each other" and by desperate screams.  

Several members of a rail workers union said in TV interviews that the commuter train system had fallen into disrepair. Union spokesman Ruben Sobrero, however, told reporters that the train's braking system had been checked as recently as Tuesday night at the Castelar  maintenance facility.

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(Andres D'Alessandro reported from Buenos Aires, Kraul in Bogota, Colombia.)

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(c)2012 the Los Angeles Times

Visit the Los Angeles Times at http://www.latimes.com

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PHOTOS (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): ARGENTINA-TRAINCRASH

GRAPHIC (from MCT Graphics, 202-383-6064): train crash

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49 killed as train slams into retaining wall in Buenos Aires

This winter’s mild temperatures likely contributed to the collapse of the retaining wall along the Claremont Access, says a local geoscientist.

Wilf Ruland says that the constant temperature fluctuations over the past several months have been especially hard on infrastructure — including the retaining wall that burst and unleashed mud and debris on the roadway Wednesday.

“What repeated freeze and thaw can do is lead soils and things like road beds to break down,” Ruland said. “It could have loosened things on the cliff above the top retaining wall. One possibility is that the water coming off of that slope and cliff face, together with the freeze and thaw, just loosened things up.”

Gerry Davis, the city’s director of public works, said the downbound access lanes will remain closed until at least Friday morning. Engineers have finished investigating the portion of the retaining wall that collapsed, but were expected to continue to check on the structure of the whole wall into Friday.

Davis says the city will reopen the access as soon as possible.

“If the safety issue is addressed and we can even open one lane, we’ll do that,” he said. “We appreciate the patience of the community, understanding there is a safety issue, and we thank them for their co-operation.”

So far, the city hasn’t released any details about the cost of the damage.

Like Ruland, Davis says the weather was likely a contributing factor to the collapse. Davis said yard waste dumped over the escarpment trapped moisture against the wall, which also could have caused damage. Ruland said extra moisture could have permeated deep into the soil and gotten trapped against the wall.

In most years, the freezing ground creates a barrier against any running groundwater.

“If, for some reason, the drainage system behind the wall isn’t working properly and you have a buildup of water behind that, it becomes a dam,” Ruland said, “and the thing isn’t built to be a dam. Water is incredibly powerful and heavy.”

When the access was last inspected in November 2010, engineers recommended that minor repairs — such as removing the yard waste and replacing a damaged guide rail — be completed within five years. That wasn’t done because of scant infrastructure resources, Davis said.

The next retaining walls scheduled to be replaced are at the Sherman Cut and the Queen Street access, scheduled for 2013 and 2014. Since those walls are scheduled to be replaced, they are inspected annually.

Davis said the Claremont retaining wall was built in 1971 and so was still within its expected 40- to 50-year lifespan.

“In this case, these panels had life left in them. And they failed,” Davis said. “We did everything we could.”

ereilly@thespec.com

905-526-2452 | @EmmaatTheSpec

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Claremont Access cleanup begins

The downbound lanes on the Claremont Access remain closed — possibly for days as the city works to repair a Niagara Escarpment retaining wall that burst and spilled mud all over the roadway.

The accident occurred Wednesday afternoon as motorists were going about their usual business of using the access to get up and down Hamilton Mountain.

There were no injuries and the upbound lanes of the important artery were reopened to traffic two hours after the mudslide.

Brian Carnahan, who stopped to take pictures of the mudslide, was heading downbound on the access when he came upon the broken retaining wall. A section of the wall and a tree had spilled onto the roadway.

“All of a sudden as I turned the corner I started to see this cluster of stuff in front of me,” he said.

Carnahan says another man had got out of his car and was directing traffic around the mudslide. It had reduced the downbound lanes to one lane.

He said as he started taking pictures, he heard a cracking sound “and it started to rain on me with water.”

“There was so much water there, and it just gave,” he said. “I’m surprised it didn’t fall on somebody.”

Carnahan said he decided to leave a few minutes later in case another section of the retaining wall gave way.

“Thank God it didn’t happen during rush hour because there would be dead people, that’s for sure,” he added.

Gerry Davis, general manager of public works, told city council Wednesday night the retaining wall was last assessed and investigated for possible failure in November 2010. He said retaining walls on major road are inspected every two years.

Davis explained it is a double retaining wall and that the top wall had collapsed and crushed the bottom wall. Mud spilled onto the road and covered a tree that stood in the way.

The Claremont Access retaining wall was built in 1971.

Davis said repair costs had not been determined.

The failure might be weather-related, he told councillors, as there are no underground water mains or anything like that in the vicinity.

He said the city has commissioned a geotechnical and a structural engineer to do an assessment on the wall.

“They have to make sure it’s safe before sending a contractor in,” he added.

Staff Sergeant Greg Doerr of Hamilton Police says the downbound lanes will be closed for an extended period, possibly days. Police were on the scene and Davis said public works would also be there.

City spokesperson Kelly Anderson said earlier in the day that structural and geological engineers were on-site to determine why the retaining wall failed.

The Claremont Access links Upper James Street with Victoria Avenue North in lower Hamilton. It is the newest of the city’s Mountain access routes and carries about 16,000 vehicles each day.

The Sherman Access reopened at the end of October after a month-long closure. It was temporarily shut down when a section collapsed due to drainage problems caused by the Niagara Escarpment. The cost of those emergency repairs was $350,000.

Special to The Spectator

With files from Daniel Nolan and Emma Reilly

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Mud slide closes Claremont Access

MARION TWP. - A 19-month-old-boy died Friday after concrete from a retaining wall crumbled and fell on the boy, the Livingston County sheriff said.

Sheriff Bob Bezotte said the boy and his 5-year-old sibling were playing on top of an underground cellar that sits on a small slope at the family's home in the 5000 block of Dutcher Road near Coon Lake Road in rural western Livingston County at around 2:10 p.m. Friday. The boys' parents were in the home, he said.

"Over time, gravity and the elements slowly forced the earth to move down the slope," Bezotte explained. "While the 5-year-old was playing on top and the 19-month-old was below, the wall caved in."

The wall crushed the 19-month-old boy's head, Bezotte said.

The boy was transported to the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, where doctors worked for hours trying to revive the child, Bezotte said. The boy died at around 4:30 p.m., the sheriff said.

"It was a horrible accident," the sheriff added.

Excerpt from:
Wall collapse crushes boy

After receiving approval from town leaders more than a year ago to expand its 200 Otis St. store, the local Walmart is close to breaking ground.

Spokesman Christopher Buchanan said yesterday that Wal-Mart is accepting bids to expand the store into one of the chain’s “supercenters.” Construction is expected to begin sometime in the spring, he said, and last about a year.

“With a full-service grocery component and everyday low prices, the Northborough supercenter will bring a new shopping opportunity for the community,” Buchanan said.

The grocery section will feature fresh local produce, frozen foods, a bakery, a deli, a meat department and a dairy department, he said, as well as more than 30 aisles of general merchandise offerings.

The retail giant received approval from the Zoning Board of Appeals last January to expand the building by about 50,000 square feet on the north and east sides, and add about 150 parking spaces as well.

When finished, the building will occupy 173,371 square feet and have 787 parking spaces, according to plans filed with the town. The store will remain open during construction.

Wal-Mart has bought a neighboring building that will be razed for more parking space. Parking spaces per square foot will decrease overall, from 5.14 spaces per 1,000 square feet to 4.54, according to the plans.

The company will also move its garden center and renovate the entrance to the building.

In response to town officials’ concerns about safety, the Walmart store will install a traffic table — a 6-inch raised platform, like a big speed bump, designed to slow drivers — at the Otis Street entrance.

Town Engineer Fred Litchfield said last week that plans for sewage have changed since last year, which may in part be responsible for the reason why construction hasn’t started yet.

Wal-Mart had originally planned to expand the septic system, Litchfield said, but decided to tie into the town’s sewer system instead.

“Sewer is always better than septic because it’s forever,” Litchfield said.

That process has taken about six months, said Town Planner Kathy Joubert, and will ultimately result in Wal-Mart agreeing to pay a betterment fee to the town to tie into the system.

Buchanan said his company has secured approval to tie into the system and is looking forward to the expansion.

“Wal-Mart is very excited to be able to save our Northborough-area customers money so they can live better,” he said.

(Brad Petrishen can be reached at 508-490-7463 or bpetrishen@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @Brad_Petrishen.)

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Northborough Walmart to begin expansion soon

Ahead of a review by town officials, Westport Weston Family Y leaders on Wednesday sought to rally support for a plan to connect the Y's new home at the Mahackeno Outdoor Center in northwest Westport to the town's sewer system.

"We think this will be good for the community," Family Y Chief Executive Officer Rob Reeves told a public forum on the proposal. "This is our preference, and we think it's the right thing to do."

The Y is seeking permission to build a 2,500-lineal-foot line, which would run north from the intersection of Oak Street and Clinton Avenue, then west along Calumet Road and Calumet Lane, under the Saugatuck River, to its new center planned at the Mahackeno property. Construction of the new 55,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to begin in October.

While most of the line would be pressurized, it would be gravity-operated under Clinton Avenue.

The sewer extension would also include a pumping station on the north bank of Poplar Plains Brook, near the Saugatuck River, Reeves said.

Linking to the town's sewer system would offer a more environmentally conscious option compared to installing a septic system at the 32-acre Mahackeno site, Y leaders said. A sewer connection would save more than 100 trees, which would have to be cut down to install an on-site wastewater-treatment facility at Mahackeno, according to a Feb. 16 statement from the Y. Building a sewer line to Mahackeno would also protect the Saugatuck River, as wastewater from the new facility would be transported to the town's sewage-treatment plant on Elaine Road, Y officials said.

That treatment facility's current capacity would not be strained by the Mahackeno sewer extension, said Land-Tech Consultants partner Peter Romano.

Y leaders also argued that the project would benefit some neighboring residents, who could connect to the new line without incurring assessment fees for installing the sewer extension.

Instead, residents connecting with the town sewer system along the new route would only pay for sewer use, Romano said.

The Y has already secured town and state approval to install a septic system at the Mahackeno Outdoor Center. Y leaders said Wednesday they decided, in part, not to apply for a sewer connection when their initial application was before town and state boards several years ago because that request would entail amending the town's "blue line," which delineates the extent of the town's sewer system. Seeking such a change would have prolonged the approval process for the new complex, Y leaders added.

Certain conditions of the town's approval of a septic system at Mahackeno have also made a sewer connection a more advantageous wastewater-treatment option, Y leaders said. One of those prerequisites, for instance, mandates that the Y deposit a cash bond in a town account equivalent to the cost of installing a septic system at Mahackeno, an estimated $1.2 million, Romano said.

Installing a sewer line to Mahackeno would not affect the construction schedule of the new Y center, Reeves added.

About 20 residents attended Wednesday's forum at the Y's current center in downtown Westport. Several attendees expressed support for the Y's proposed sewer connection.

"From an environmental and economic point of view, this is really desirable," said Marty Yellin. "It's much safer than what we had approved."

The Y's Mahackeno sewer connection application will first be reviewed by the Board of Selectmen acting in its capacity as the town's Water Pollution Control Authority during a public hearing scheduled for the first week of April.

In addition to the selectmen, the Y will also seek approval for a Mahackeno sewer connection from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Conservation Commission and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

If the project wins approval from all those bodies, construction of the new sewer line would likely begin in early 2013, Y leaders added.

pschott@bcnnew.com; 203-255-4561, ext. 118.

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Plan for Mahackeno Y sewer connection outlined for public

This is the proposed route of the sewer line extension the Westport Weston Family Y hopes to install at its planned new facility at Mahackeno. The proposed line would connect to the town’s existing municipal sewer line.

Photo Credit: Vanessa Inzitari

Peter Romano, a partner at the Westport-based environmental and engineering consulting firm Land-Tech Consultants Inc., explains the proposed sewer line Wednesday night.

Photo Credit: Vanessa Inzitari

WESTPORT, Conn. – Although the Westport Weston Family Y already has the necessary approvals to install an in-ground septic system at its planned new facility on its Mahackeno campus, Y officials are looking to instead connect to the town’s sewer system.

Hooking up to the Westport sanitary sewer system, versus installing a septic system, would be more beneficial for the town, Family Y CEO Rob Reeve told a roomful of residents that live in the neighborhoods around the planned new facility.

"Over 100 trees in total would have to be clear cut with the septic system,” Reeves said Wednesday night, explaining that the sewer line would save those trees. That’s about 1.5 acres of woodlands, he said.

Peter Romano, a partner at Land-Tech Consultants Inc., a Westport-based environmental and engineering consulting firm, said the proposed Y sewer line would travel from the Mahackeno facility, under Lee’s Pond, down Calumet Lane, then down part of Clinton Avenue to Oak Street, where it would connect with Westport’s existing line.

This, he said, would enable residents of those areas to hook up to the municipal sewer line, if they chose. And because the line is being installed by the Y, not the town, he said it will cost residents almost nothing.

“Neighbors will have to pay a sewer use fee, but you’ll have no assessment [fees] associated with the installation, unlike municipal projects," Romano said.

The proposed line would be 2,500 feet long and 3 inches in diameter, Romano said. It would be made of PVC piping and, because it would be thermo-fused, he said it would essentially be one continuous pipe. This would better protect against leaks. But to be on the safe side, Romano said, the line would also be equipped with a built-in alarm that would notify of any leaks.

The Y sewer line would also have a backup generator, just in case of power outages, Romano said.

Because of its design, Reeves said, the sewer line would better protect the Saugatuck River.

Martin Yellin, a former chairman of the Conservation Commission, voiced his support for the proposed sewer line, saying  it is “more desirable” over the installation of a septic system.

The Y recently submitted an application to Westport to connect to the municipal sanity sewer system. The Board of Selectmen, acting in its capacity as the Water Pollution Control Authority, will review the application at a public hearing in April, Romano said.

Construction on the planned new facility is slated to begin in October.

Read the original post:
Westport Y Prefers Sewer Over Septic for New Digs

This is the proposed route of the sewer line extension the Westport Weston Family Y hopes to install at its planned new facility at Mahackeno. The proposed line would connect to the town’s existing municipal sewer line.

Photo Credit: Vanessa Inzitari

Peter Romano, a partner at the Westport-based environmental and engineering consulting firm Land-Tech Consultants Inc., explains the proposed sewer line Wednesday night.

Photo Credit: Vanessa Inzitari

WESTPORT, Conn. – Although the Westport Weston Family Y already has the necessary approvals to install an in-ground septic system at its planned new facility on its Mahackeno campus, Y officials are looking to instead connect to the town’s sewer system.

Hooking up to the Westport sanitary sewer system, versus installing a septic system, would be more beneficial for the town, Family Y CEO Rob Reeve told a roomful of residents that live in the neighborhoods around the planned new facility.

"Over 100 trees in total would have to be clear cut with the septic system,” Reeves said Wednesday night, explaining that the sewer line would save those trees. That’s about 1.5 acres of woodlands, he said.

Peter Romano, a partner at Land-Tech Consultants Inc., a Westport-based environmental and engineering consulting firm, said the proposed Y sewer line would travel from the Mahackeno facility, under Lee’s Pond, down Calumet Lane, then down part of Clinton Avenue to Oak Street, where it would connect with Westport’s existing line.

This, he said, would enable residents of those areas to hook up to the municipal sewer line, if they chose. And because the line is being installed by the Y, not the town, he said it will cost residents almost nothing.

“Neighbors will have to pay a sewer use fee, but you’ll have no assessment [fees] associated with the installation, unlike municipal projects," Romano said.

The proposed line would be 2,500 feet long and 3 inches in diameter, Romano said. It would be made of PVC piping and, because it would be thermo-fused, he said it would essentially be one continuous pipe. This would better protect against leaks. But to be on the safe side, Romano said, the line would also be equipped with a built-in alarm that would notify of any leaks.

The Y sewer line would also have a backup generator, just in case of power outages, Romano said.

Because of its design, Reeves said, the sewer line would better protect the Saugatuck River.

Martin Yellin, a former chairman of the Conservation Commission, voiced his support for the proposed sewer line, saying  it is “more desirable” over the installation of a septic system.

The Y recently submitted an application to Westport to connect to the municipal sanity sewer system. The Board of Selectmen, acting in its capacity as the Water Pollution Control Authority, will review the application at a public hearing in April, Romano said.

Construction on the planned new facility is slated to begin in October.

See the original post:
New Westport Weston Y Prefers Sewer Over Septic

LAKE FOREST – A new community recreation center planned for the city's sports park will be built in a Craftsman style and will include heavy timber, porches, plaster wall and stacked stone pillars.

These elements are part of conceptual plans presented by architects to the City Council on Tuesday night. The design concepts were created from comments by the City Council during an earlier review of plans in December. The City Council thanked the design group for taking their input and including it in the revised plans.

The recreation center will provide opportunities for community fitness classes, dance classes and arts and crafts for children. Most all activities now found at the current City Hall on Commercentre Drive would be relocated to the recreation center.

REPORTED BY ERIKA I. RITCHIE, RENDERING COURTESY OF CITY OF LAKE FOREST

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The City Council voted to allow the architect to prepare construction drawings and bid specifications. Construction could start by fall.

Additional considerations reviewed by the City Council included the sizes of meeting and activity rooms and the opportunity for creating rooms for multi-purposes.

Mayor Kathryn McCullough questioned whether the planned restrooms were adequately sized for the expected number of recreation center users.

The restrooms will include more than are actually required by the building code based on the size of the building.

The center will provide opportunities for community fitness classes, dance classes and arts and crafts for children. Most all activities now found at the current City Hall on Commercentre Drive would be relocated to the center.

Plans for the park are 80 percent complete. Clearing and grubbing of the Glass Creek and Baker properties was done in January. The extension of Rancho Parkway— which will provide access to the park — is expected to be done by the end of the year. Mass grading of the site is scheduled to begin in late spring; construction of the amenities at the park could start in August.

The new sports park will be located on 86 acres near the intersection of Portola Parkway and El Toro Road.

Contact the writer: 949-454-7307 or eritchie@ocregister.com or twitter.com/lagunaini

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Council OKs Lake Forest recreation center design

In the future, Shenandoah properties with trash on porches, high grass or other ordinance violations may receive a citation similar to a parking or speeding ticket.

Borough Manager Joseph L. Palubinsky spoke at Monday's borough council meeting on the possibility of implementing a "clean sweep" program. He learned of a similar program in Allentown called SWEEP (Solid Waste Education and Enforcement Program) during a recent blight summit held by state Sen. David G. Argall, R-29.

"There were a number of good things that we heard and were recommended," Palubinsky said.

He said the program would authorize any borough employee to issue tickets for various ordinance violations such as littering, high grass, nuisances, trash on porches and similar ordinance violations.

"I think the general sentiment among the members of council and the mayor is that ... we want to proceed with this," he said.

Councilman Robert Kulpowicz said the ticket would be like a parking ticket and list various offenses.

"There will be fines and penalties. We don't know what the costs will be at this time," he said. "People have been getting away with things for too long and it's time to put a stop to it."

Tickets would be paid at borough hall. Those that aren't paid or are challenged would go before Magisterial District Judge Anthony Kilker.

Mayor Michael Whitecavage suggested that borough officials meet with Kilker about the plan.

Palubinsky said the borough first needs to check all its ordinances "and see what we can adapt" to the new program. "If some ordinances need to be amended, we'll have to do that, or pass new ordinances."

Palubinsky said warnings can be issued in some cases.

"I really think we can use this to the borough's advantage," he said.

No action was taken by council on the matter. The ordinances will be reviewed by Palubinsky and council for future establishing of the program.

Other business

Council approved a resolution that allows an inter-municipal alcoholic beverage license transfer from Pine Grove to Shenandoah. Isabel Nunez, 2 S. Jardin St., applied for the transfer through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. A public hearing on the request was held Oct. 17.

usalis@republicanherald.com

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Poorly kept Shenandoah properties could face citations