Two members of the construction crew working on the Ameren Illinois transmission lines died on August 7, when their Hughes 369D helicopter struck an overload line and crashed against a barge docked on the Mississippi River near Alton.
The accident occurred about 200 meters downstream of the locks and Melvin (Lock and Dam 26) prices and turned on a fire on the barge that extinguished in about an hour, but closed the river traffic, according to local officials.
A spokesman for the utility said that a contractor and his subcontractor were “repairing and replacing the lighting of the tower and marker balls” on the transmission lines in the county of Madison, Ill, and that there were no electrical interruptions related to the incident.
The County of St. Charles, Mo., medical examiner on August 8 identified victims such as Nicholas R. Fulton, 35, Salem, Mo., and Michael C. Curry, 37, ashley, ill. Local media reported to Fulton as Vice President of Salem Excel Helicopters LLC. In a social media publication, the contractor JF Electric Inc., Edwardsville, Ill, confirmed “a serious incident … that involved one of our employees and a subcontractor” and his death, but did not publish names or details. The contractor said that “he fully collaborates with the appropriate authorities as they review the incident.”
Ameren’s spokesman refused to confirm companies as public service contractors or to publish more details of the accident, but said that he would “cooperate with the research”, in a statement by email to Enr.
The accident occurred about 200 meters downstream of Melvin’s price locks and the dam on the Mississippi river in Alton, Ill, on August 7, when a helicopter of the utility hit a power line and crashed against a barge, killing two workers, according to authorities. Google Earth’s Courtesia Image
The federal aviation administration said that the helicopter crashed against a barge at around 11:05 AM, and the National Board of Transportation Security leads the investigation of the accident. Authorities said that the barge was wearing ethyleneglicol, but no injuries were reported and no river pollution was detected. A nearby tow boat used a water barrel to take the fire, according to authorities.
The United States Coast Guard initially closed the Higher Mississippi River for ship traffic between Mile 199 and 201 after falling, reopening on the night of August 7 with a security zone that extends 450 feet from the coast between the markers of Mile 199.5 and 200.5.
Federal researchers examine factors that include the condition of the aircraft, the work marking work practices, and the operating procedures for useful helicopter operations. Preliminary findings are usually published in a few weeks, with a final report that takes months.
In the meantime, Ameren announced earlier this month that the Illinois Commerce Commission has approved to start construction at the end of this year, 380 miles of 345 kilovolt transmission lines, three new substations and updates to five substations existing at 13 counties as part of a $ 1.6 million update.
