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Company cited for February tower collapse in Harrison County

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — An Oklahoma company has been cited for two safety violations following the deaths of three people who were killed when a cell tower collapsed in Harrison County in February.

On Thursday, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced fines for S&S Communications Specialists totaling $14,000 — the maximum amount possible — for two serious safety violations.

Several contract workers with S&S were replacing diagonal supports on a 300-foot tall tower located on Murphy’s Run Road in the Summit Park area of Clarksburg on Feb. 1 when that tower fell.

Emergency workers were called to scene.

The collapse of the first tower put stress on a guy wire that weakened a second smaller tower that also collapsed.

Two workers on the first tower were killed — Kyle Kirkpatrick, 32, from Hulbert, Okla., and Terry Lee Richard, Jr., 27, Bokoshe, Okla. A Nutter Fort firefighter, Michael Dale Garrett, 28, of Clarksburg was killed when the smaller tower fell as emergency crews made a rescue attempt.

Three others were injured.

S&S Communications Specialists is based in Hulbert, Okla.

The company has 15 days to respond to the OSHA citations.





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