In all my roadtrashtravels I am sorry to start my new blog,"Roadtrashtravels ",on such a sad note! I have written several of my adventures to post, Yet, I felt it important to post this one as my 1ST, to let others get to know what I have learned about the brothers and sisters of ,"Roadtrashpiffiters.com", and their families, just in the short time I became aware of their site, also how even more important it is this day and time to bond together, on issues that may arise from ,a good safe place to stay as you are out on the road ,to safety issues that might mean life or death all are so necessary to all involved. On Monday of this week a guy that that worked with my son, fell from 2 stories @ the job site.Then Tuesday morning we were driving out to the plant, I noticed and mentioned to my son before we got to the plant, there is always steam coming from the stacks, I always look as we are driving to the plant, depending on which way the wind is blowing,"south to north", there is a big light flashing, to mark the top of the huge pipe, so planes know to avoid the stack, it makes the steam look light lighting,"I didn't see that steam this morning", it always fascinates me, to the illusion, not realizing what might be happening, sadly I learned what no steam might mean! We were discussing it ,my son said that there must be something wrong, the only way they would stop the stream is if they were cleaning those stacks, then it would be announced days before. I dropped him off at 6AM as usual,( this accident happened at 5:45 AM), but as I left the parking lot ,I met a firetruck, screaming with lights, turning up the drive to the plant. I thought to myself, this is not good, naturally my thoughts turned to my own son then to all his buddies I have met here in Kansas City,Mo., but knowing I had just left him in the parking lot less than 5 minutes before, no way, they could called a firetruck that fast," "said a little prayer of thanks", then drove on. Before I could get back to the hotel, my son called me, telling me I needed to come back and get him, that a guy had gotten killed!
They closed the plant, news helicopters were hovering every where by the time I got back to pick him up. The guy that got killed,"23 yrs old", was a x-ray tech. They x-ray the pipes to check for cracks. The steam is so strong that it can burst those pipes, so they have to constantly x-ray them. This is Iatan Power plant in Weston, Mo. coal powered steam plant .The ones with the big round stacks you see for mile before you get to any steam plant, with stacks about 100 ft. off the ground. The x-ray techs are suspended in the air,in what they call a ,"spider Basket",or "scalfold", connected by a cable.To inspect any false welds in the pipes, this cable allows you to maneuver yourself up and down,as well as from side to side. Something malfunctioned causing an accident, Not many details have surfaced as of yet.no one knows for sure. But this is the 2ND person to be killed in the past year,one in May of 2008 by a crane mishap.Very dangerous! So this is why as a mother of a pipe fitter, I am proud that my son has his ,"Union" brothers and sisters to help him day to day. I take this time to thank any of you that helped him along the way, I know he feels the same pride ..as well as to cherish each day... As ever..Travlbug