NY - Toddler dies after falling into restaurant grease trap, Rochester, 15 July 2019

[al66pine]

"Rochester Police Department Investigator Francis Camp said they believe the boy fell through a plastic lid that gave way and into the grease trap embedded in the ground outside a Tim Hortons restaurant.
The grease trap was covered with a green plastic lid -- much like a manhole cover -- that helped it blend into the surrounding grass, he said.
"The lid was on there, it looks like the child ran across it and it popped open and he fell into the trap," he said...."

Sad, sad, sad. What a tragedy.

Toddler dies after falling into Tim Hortons grease trap - CNN cnn.com pub July 15

 

[al66pine]

Per article ^:
- RPD said info is being provided to DA's office, OSHA, and med examiner.
- No names released.
- No Cause of Death yet , but this happened earlier today.

 

[al66pine]

RPD said "a witness" found the boy a few minutes after he was reported missing.
Witness pulled him from trap, tried to revive him, could not. What a wonderful effort.

Was witness a restaurant employee, maybe in back, putting trash in dumpster or off-loading supplies from vendor's truck into kitchen? First things that came to my mind.

Is RPD's wording unusual? Maybe not, if there was no known relationship between boy & witness.
All jmo.

 

[al66pine]

RPD said -- grease trap was "covered with a green plastic lid -- much like a manhole cover -- that helped it blend into the surrounding grass."
"The lid was on there, it looks like the child ran across it and it popped open and he fell into the trap."

Also said the trap was two and a half feet wide. I presume (could be wrong) he meant the cover = 2 1/2' wide, because the grease trap/interceptor would be buried, if outside.

If 2 1/2 ft. wide opening, an adult could fall in, an adult of laaaaarrge stature, seems like a huuuuuuuuuge opening not to have very, very, very secure cover-mechanism.
Was the cover simply held in place by its own weight?
If plastic, oh really, not metal like manhole covers?
If so, seems quite foreseeable that even a toddler's weight could flip/pop it.
Or was cover-mechanism designed to be held in place w hardware, like multiple bolts?
Did a restaurant employee fail to refasten cover appropriately? Did the grease cleaning service co. employee fail to refasten?

Is trap cover close to dumpsters, which are often enclosed by fence. Was it?
But if it was enclosed by fence, why was it colored green to blend w grass, if not 'in the public eye?'

Seems like multiple factors possibly leading to this sad death. Jmo.

 

[al66pine]

From same article linked in post #1:
"...The city is currently pouring concrete around the opening in the ground where the grease trap was located and putting a metal lid on it, according to Camp.
CNN reached out to the NY Buildings Administrative Enforcement Unit to ask if this location's grease interceptor was up to code..." bbm

Had concrete atop the trap been cracking and crumbling or metal frame/tank breaking, so the cover was no longer as securely attached as it had been? Was the opening actually bigger than it was supposed to be? IDK.

 

[al66pine]

The poor parents, whoever they are. No words to console them.

 

[owsley]

Are these devices regularly inspected, as are the food establishments themselves? State by state basis I suppose.

 

[al66pine]

Are these devices regularly inspected, as are the food establishments themselves? State by state basis I suppose.

IDK. kinda doubt it is common. Have tried a few searches and will try more tomorrow.

So far seems the legal/regulatory angle aim is preventing clogs in the local waste-water/sewer system w the FOG, fat-oil-grease. Some of these inspections/certifications forms are completed by restaurant owners and sent annually to the city gov't where located. Yep, the honor system in some places. Not seeing this cover-issue on the restaurant inspection checklists I've seen for checking for improperly stored meat, unlabeled containers of food in the fridge, etc.

As of 2018 Alabama law, after a 2017 toddler death, mandates that commercial grease traps have appropriate and secure covers, but I saw nothing re inspections.
Ivey signs Sadie Grace Andrews Act into law

Ditto info from OSHA site, aimed at employee safety: numerous injuries & deaths re lack of or inadequate covers. Or unsecured covers.

Seems self-evident that restaurant owners/operators would have heavy-duty grease trap covers secured/bolted/locked as a matter of self interest. But from news reports about 3 different pre-schoolers falling into grease traps, in past ~ 5 yrs in US, not uniformly true.

Good golly, I don't know how ppl w children ever get up the courage to leave their houses.