New York Says Village Endangered Workers Before Deaths

The state says a New York City suburb endangered two employees who suffocated in a manhole by not providing proper training or equipment.

The village of Tarrytown was issued four violations of safety laws. Two were classified as willful, meaning the village was aware of the danger and did nothing, the state Labor Department said.

The two men were killed by poisonous sewer gas on Labor Day. One went down a manhole to clear a blocked pipe and the other went down to rescue him.

The report says neither man tested the air or wore a breathing mask, as safety protocols would have required. It said a safety program was allowed to lapse when the last trained employee retired in 2004.

The village administrator said Friday the report was being reviewed.

Topics New York