Josh Mason, Mason Neises : “Catastrophic Failure at Sewage Pumping Facility Claims Lives of Two Men”

Death – Obituary – Accident and Crime News : New information is surfacing regarding the tragic deaths of two individuals following a disastrous incident at a sewage pumping facility. The victims have been identified as 26-year-old Josh Mason from Moscow, Ohio, and 23-year-old Mason Neises from Alexandria, Kentucky. Thankfully, a third individual narrowly escaped with his life.

Kenton County Emergency Management director Steve Hensley expressed his condolences, stating, “They all came to work that day with the intention of returning home. Unfortunately, for a few of them, that did not become a reality. With their coworkers present at the scene, it was an extremely emotional day.”

The contracting company employing the deceased workers, Building Crafts, Inc., released a heartfelt statement acknowledging the loss of their coworkers and friends. They described Mason Neises and Josh Mason as hardworking young men who were taken from their families too soon. The company has provided grief counselors to support their employees during this challenging time and is fully cooperating with the authorities investigating the incident.

The victims were assisting in the construction of a new sewage pumping facility, situated within a 40-foot-deep concrete foundation. Inside this structure, there are massive five-foot-diameter intakes. In order to prevent water from entering, inflatable plugs secured with chains are used. Tragically, a catastrophic failure occurred, resulting in sewage water forcefully flooding the area where the men were working. The pressure exerted by the rushing water was even greater than that of a firehose.

Hensley explained, “The force and pressure would have been significantly greater, causing the space to rapidly fill up, leaving minimal time for anyone to escape safely.”

The two victims who lost their lives were located in the lower part of the structure, while the survivor was near the top. Highly trained divers were called to the scene to navigate the challenging conditions. With zero visibility and no light, they relied solely on touch to maneuver through the confined spaces until they located the final victim.

Hensley admitted, “This was one of the most complex responses we have ever encountered.”

The recovery operation lasted for a grueling 12 hours. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigators are currently working to determine the cause of the accident.

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