More than 96 hours after an explosion rocked the Verso Paper Mill in Sartell, Minn., fire fighters are slowing switching from fighting the fire to the enormous task of cleaning up the aftermath.
The company has hired a contractor to start taking down damaged structural steel, which needs to be removed before crews can begin off loading the paper rolls weight 2,000 to 8,000 pounds – some waterlogged, others still smoldering.
We're still in that 98 to 99 percent," said Sartell fire chief Ken Heim. "We are not 100 percent totally out, and we may not be for weeks."
Complicating the demolition efforts are two Burlington Santa Fe railroad track that run through Sartell, but the railroad continues to delay and reroute trains, giving crews just a six hour window to bring in heavy equipment
"It has been the ultimate challenge as a fire chief, and I couldn't do it without the help of my neighboring departments and statewide people that have helped," Heim said.
Thirty-nine different departments – some as far as 100 miles away – have helped in the fire fight, using over 4 million gallons of water to extinguish the flames.
"We call it mutual aid, but it's neighbor helping neighbor," said Sartell Mayor Joe Perske.
Fifty-year-old Jon Maus was killed in the fire, but no one has been injured while battling the blaze.
As for the cause of the explosion, that's in the hand of the state fire marshal, which has two investigators on site.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 4:33 PM EDT2013-06-18 20:33:53 GMT
A man accused of fatally shooting a gay man walking with a companion in New York City's Greenwich Village afterward claimed that he opened fire because the victim "thought he was tough in front of his bitch," prosecutors said in court papers Tuesday.
A man accused of fatally shooting a gay man walking with a companion in New York City's Greenwich Village afterward claimed that he opened fire because the victim "thought he was tough in front of his bitch," prosecutors said in court papers Tuesday.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 3:46 PM EDT2013-06-18 19:46:32 GMT
Photo courtesy of @N42_21_W71_04)
Riders should anticipate cancellations and delays on the Long Island Rail Road for the Tuesday evening rush. The railroad has canceled 21 trains that normally leave Penn Station between 3:27 and 7:01 p.m.
Riders should anticipate cancellations and delays on the Long Island Rail Road for the Tuesday evening rush. The railroad has canceled 21 trains that normally leave Penn Station between 3:27 and 7:01 p.m.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 3:32 PM EDT2013-06-18 19:32:12 GMT
NYC
Nearly 3 million New Yorkers' homes are now in evacuation zones that cover more than a third of the city's population, under new maps released Tuesday.
Nearly 3 million New Yorkers' homes are now in evacuation zones that cover more than a third of the city's population, under new maps released Tuesday.In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, officials said last month, the number of zones would double and encompass about 600,000 more residents.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 3:05 PM EDT2013-06-18 19:05:09 GMT
Police are looking for a man who stabbed another man in Times Square Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.The victim was stabbed in the chest, the NYPD and FDNY said.
Police are looking for a man who stabbed another man in Times Square Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.The victim was stabbed in the chest, the NYPD and FDNY said.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 1:18 PM EDT2013-06-18 17:18:24 GMT
It's a sight that can trigger dread. The low-battery message appears on your cell phone when there's no charger around.
It's a sight that can trigger dread. The low-battery message appears on your cell phone when there's no charger around. Now New York City has teamed up with AT&T to install 25 solar powered charging stations over the summer.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 12:20 PM EDT2013-06-18 16:20:04 GMT
The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
