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Aug 9, 2007 11:15 am US/Eastern
Expect More Charges In Big Dig Tunnel Collapse
by Joe Shortsleeve
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Powers Fasteners is the first company to face criminal charges for the deadly Big Dig tunnel collapse.
What are the odds additional Big Dig contractors will face charges? WBZ has learned more indictments will follow.
One source very familiar with the ceiling collapse and all the companies involved, believes there will be more indictments.
In fact, a government source said he would be shocked if this was the end of it.
My source was also surprised that they "started with the little guy," inferring epoxy supplier Powers Fasteners had less of a role than the tunnel designer, Gannett Fleming, or Modern Continental, the company which installed the ceiling.
In a report released last month, the National Transportation Safety Board said 19 of the 20 bolts in the collapse area didn't even have glue on them or not enough glue, meaning they weren't installed improperly.
Powers Fasteners isn't the only one to blame here and it's more than just private companies.
The NTSB said the Turnpike Authority never even inspected it own tunnel ceiling before allowing the public to use it.
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