3 killed in Iowa TV tower accident

[odomski]

From the Associated Press:OAKLAND, Iowa (AP) - Three workers fell 1,100 feet Wednesday from an Iowa Public Television tower and died, officials said. Bill Hayes, director for engineering at IPTV, said the crew was replacing strobe lights when the accident happened. ``They were up fairly high when something went wrong and all three members of the crew fell,'' Hayes said. ``We don't know what the actual cause was.'' He said a fourth member of the crew was working on the ground, operating a winch, hoisting parts to the crew. ``We can only assume that the safety equipment failed,'' said Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker. The men - ages 57, 27 and 19 - were pronounced dead at the scene. They worked for Deter Tower Service, of Grimes. Their names weren't immediately released. A woman answering the phone at Deters said no one was available to talk about the accident. She declined further comment.

 

[outside looking in]

FYI: Memorial Fund

I have read that a memorial fund has been set up for the families of Leo Deters, Jason Galles, and Jon McWilliams, the three who died in the tower accident in May. Anyone who may be interested in contributing can send donations, made payable to Deters Memorial Fund, to: Phyllis McCann, City State Bank, PO Box 159, Norwalk, Iowa 50211.