No citations, fines issued in tower fall

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has completed its investigation into an accident at a communications tower in rural Douglas County that killed two men.

OSHA did not issue any citations or fines in connection with the July 10 accident that killed Jerry Case, 54, Kansas City, Mo., and Kevin Keeling, 33, Independence, Mo.

The two men died after falling between 500 and 800 feet from a tower they were working on southeast of Lawrence.

The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said the men were being hoisted in a bucket when a cable failed.

Judy Freeman, area director for OSHA’s Wichita office, said through their investigation they hoped to prevent similar accidents from happening.

Freeman also said the company performing the work, Structural Inspections Inc. of Blue Springs, Mo., was owned by Case and ceased to exist upon his death.