Category Archives: Personal Injury

Electrician Dies in Huntington Beach Fire

Brandon Orozco died Monday in a horrific accident in an underground vault in Huntington Harbour.

Orozco was part of a five member crew conducting scheduled maintenance. A fire broke out at around 12:15 in the underground electrical vault. The underground electrical vault is located in the 16200 block of Tisbury Circle near Mistral Drive. It is located on Humboldt Island.

The fire broke out when electricity suddenly began flowing through the fault. Orozco was the only member of the crew in the fault at the time. There were no other injuries reported.

Orozco’s body was removed from the vault at around 5:15 p.m. on Monday. When firefighters arrive to the scene, there was heavy smoke coming from the vault. It took the Huntington Beach and Anaheim fire departments five hours to enter the vault and retrieve Orozco’s body. After the fire was put out, the rescue workers had to wait for Edison to cut off power before entering the vault. Rescue workers had to test the vault air samples to make sure there were no more explosives in the area. The body was then transported to the Orange County coroner’s office.

The crew was from CAM Contractors Inc., a Southern California Edison subcontractor. The crew was contracted to work in the vault during a scheduled five-hour power outage. This is when the fire started. 350 customers were without power until 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Branzon Orozco was a union lineman for about three years. He worked for various electrical contractors. Orzoco had only been with CAM Contractors Inc., for about two months. His death was the first for CAM Contractors Inc.

Orozco is survived by his family. The Orozcos will have a viewing from 5 to 6 p.m. and a rosemary prayer service from 6 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at Rose Hills Memorial park in Whittier. On Monday morning, there will be a mass held at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Pasadena. The burial will be at Rose Hills on Tuesday. Residents affected by the power outage are collecting donations to help the Orozco family pay for funeral costs. If you are interested in donating, contact Michelle Abawi at (951)551-3441.

The cause of accident is still being investigated. Huntington Beach Fire Department investigators, Cal-OSHA, Edison, and CAM Contractors Inc. are working together to discover the cause of the fire.

If you have ever lost a loved one due to another individual’s negligence, contact a Huntington Beach wrongful death lawyer.

Irwindale Bus Accident Injures Dozens, Bus Accident Lawyer Can Help

At least 30 people were injured in an Irwindale bus accident late Thursday morning. Officials said that as of now none of the injuries are life-threatening. Those who were injured in the bus wreck that are looking for compensation to cover their damages should contact a bus accident injury lawyer.

Reports say that the accident happened approximately 20 miles east of Los Angeles and that emergency respondents are already on the scene. A large tow truck was sent to pull the bus from the ditch as well.

California Highway Patrol officials are still investigating the accident and have released a few tweets to inform motorists of the situation.

“EB 210 past the 605 freeway. Overturned bus. All passengers out. Approximately 30 hurt. Three right lanes closed,” CHP Southern Div. tweeted at around 10a.m.

Irwindale bus accident injures 30 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Firefighters on the scene tended to those who were injured in the accident. Aerial footage showed that they were working with people who were placed on green, yellow and red triage area tarps. These tarps indicate severity of injuries, red is the most severe. Other people were being transported on stretchers.

Most of the victims were treated for bumps and bruises and did not appear to have life-threatening injuries.

While the emergency respondents did their work, traffic was halted and some people exited their cars, hopped over the center divider and made an attempt to watch but CHP would not allow them. Ready to reopen the freeway, CHP released the following tweets:

“Attention to all who are stopped on EB 210 and have exited your cars. WB lanes can’t be open until you return to your cars.”

“If you are stuck on 210 freeway please don’t exit your car or walk on the freeway. Freeway traffic may flow at any time”

Da Zhen, a Chinese tour bus company from Monterey Park, was transporting 40 passengers, Saul Gomez, a CHP spokesman said. Usually that bus offers one and two-day trips to casinos in and Las Vegas.

Officials are investigating the cause of the crash and so far it is unknown if there were any other vehicles involved in the incident.

“It’s a little early to determine whether it was driver error,” Gomez said. “We are worried more about the injured people than the actual investigation itself.”

Lt. Mark Garrett of the CHP told reporters that officers would conduct a “very thorough mechanical inspection” of the bus. Typically during these inspections officials check maintenance schedules to make sure the buses are well maintained. They also check that permits and licenses are all in order.

Traffic was backed in both directions of the freeway and CHP is preparing to get traffic moving once more. Here are other tweets they released to update motorists on the traffic:

“SIGALERT UPDATE: EB I-210 EAST OF I-605 THE CARPOOL LANE WILL BE CLOSED INTERMITTENTLY DURING COLLISION INVESTIGATION”

“11:15 AM SIGALERT UPDATE: I-210 EAST OF I-605 WB LANES OPEN – EB CARPOOL LANE OPEN – ALL OTHER EB LANES CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE”

Call (877)782-3777 if you were injured in a bus accident an attorney is waiting to speak with you.

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Santa Ana Car Accident Fatally Injured Pedestrian

A young driver that ran two red lights at excess speeds fatally injured a pedestrian in Santa Ana late Monday morning. The pedestrian died at the hospital moments after being hit and the driver was released shortly after being questioned, pending the investigation. Investigators were sent to the site and closed the intersection for more than three hours.

A woman who crossed First Street at Sullivan Street at around 10:45 a.m. was seriously hurt when a white Volkswagen sedan traveling eastbound on First Street slammed into her.

Authorities responded to the car accident where the pedestrian who was walking via the crosswalk was hit, Ana police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna told reporters.

Emergency respondents arrived to the scene and tended to the woman who was critically injured. They loaded her into an ambulance and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she died a short time after.

Monday night, Orange County coroner’s office officials identified the pedestrian as Graciela Sanchez, a 56-year-old, of Santa Ana.

Authorities described the driver of the white vehicle as a licensed female in her 20’s. She remained at the scene and did not appear to be intoxicated.

Traffic light video footage from the First Street and Fairview Street cameras showed the eastbound driver crossing the intersection on a red light above the speed limit, at speeds over 60 miles per hour. Witnesses told officials that the driver also ran a red light at First and Sullivan streets, where she truck the woman who was in the crosswalk and “has the right-of-way,” Bertagna said.

Officials questioned the young driver who was later released pending the continuing investigation. They did not say if she was injured.

Investigators closed down the intersection and reviewed the scene. They took notes and collected essential evidence that would help them confirm what happened there earlier that day, including talking to willing witnesses and reviewing street light camera video recordings. At about 2:30 p.m. officials reopened the intersection.

Depending on the police report and other facts from the accident, a Santa Ana car accident lawyer would be able to help the family members of Sanchez.

At Dara Khajavi Law Offices, lawyers are available to speak with new clients regarding their OC car accident anytime. Available 24/7, including holidays, Daralaw.com can provide you with a free consultation. If you’ve been in an accident, don’t hesitate to contact them, but make sure you do so before your time limit to report an accident expires.

Toontown Explosion

A dry ice “bomb” exploded inside Disneyland’s Toontown on Tuesday evening.

The dry ice was left in a plastic bottle in a trash can in Toontown. The explosion was contained by the trash can. Similar dry ice devices have exploded in Anaheim neighborhoods in recent months. However, police are still unsure if there is any connection between those explosions and the Toontown blast. Investigators are still trying to determine if the dry ice device was purposely left.

There was a loud bang when the dry ice exploded. Witnesses said that it sounded like a gunshot but much louder. After the explosion, security surrounded the trash can. The explosion occurred around 5:30 p.m. Disneyland officials and employees were working with local authorities to deal with the explosion.

The Anaheim Police Department reported quickly to the scene. Police and security evacuated Disneyland visitors from Toontown. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s bomb squad also reported to the scene. The Anaheim Fire Department did not respond to the incident. Officers scoured the scene for evidence.

2 hours later the area was deemed safe. Authorities reopened Toontown around 7:30 p.m. Thankfully, there were no injuries from the explosion. The trash can contained the explosion and prevented any shrapnel from flying into the air. Toontown is an area popular among families and young children. The injuries from this explosion could have been quite severe.

After the area was cleared, authorities left the area. Some park visitors were upset that there was not more security or increased police presence after the explosion. The family friendly park usually has tight security. Disneyland Park has rarely had safety issues.

Authorities are still reviewing evidence. Investigators are reviewing video surveillance footage. They will also be examining Internet postings and social media for any relevant evidence about the explosion. Investigators have not yet established a possible motive or if and why Toontown was targeted.

Disneyland is a popular tourist location in Southern California. Thousands of people visit Disneyland every day. The park often has long waits for its popular rides. A large explosion and large crowds of people would have been a dangerous combination. Fortunately, no one was hurt in the explosion.

If you are ever injured because of another individual’s negligence, you may want to contact an Anaheim personal injury lawyer. Personal injury cases can be difficult and complicated. The right lawyer can guide you through the difficult proceedings.

Dog Bite Safety 101

There have been an unfortunate string of dog attacks lately. Dogs are usually extremely friendly and fun animals, but some dogs can be quiet aggressive and dangerous. Certain breeds are perceived as more aggressive than others, but a dog’s aggressive behavior is usually due to abuse. Here are some tips on how to handle dog attacks.

• Be careful around dogs

If you are walking or running outside, be on the lookout for loose dogs. Do not smile at strange dogs. You may think it is a friendly gesture, but an aggressive dog may see it as a challenge. Avoid going close to chained dogs. These dogs tend to be more aggressive.

• Look for warning signs

Learn dog body language. Not all dogs are aggressive. A loose dog may come up to you just out of curiosity. Some dogs are commonly perceived as less aggressive or more aggressive. If you encounter a loose dog, don’t assume a less aggressive dog is safe or vice versa. Pay attention to the dog’s body language not its bread. Dogs about attack will have a straight and stiff body. Stay calm.

• Remain calm

Do not make any sudden movements. Dogs can sense your fear and panic. Try to command them. Tell them in a demanding voice “Go Home!” or “No!” Assume a non-threatening position. Dogs think that you are going to attack if you face them head on and make eye contact. Instead, you should stand sideways to the dog.

Stay still. Sudden movements will startle the dog. Protect your face, chest, and throat. Keep your arms flat by your side with clenched fists. If the dog knocks you over, you should curl up and cover your head. Pull your face into your chest and cover your neck with your hands. The dog will think you are boring and leave you alone.

• Don’t run

Your first instinct may be to run, but don’t ever run from a dog. The dog will definitely chase after you. Instead, you should stay still until the dog loses interest in you. When the dog loses interest in you, you should slowly back away.

Dogs can be really fun to play with, but a stray or loose dog can be incredibly dangerous. Be extremely cautious if you ever come across a loose dog. If you are ever attacked by a dog, you may want to contact a Newport Beach personal injury lawyer.