Newspaper Clipping, March 19
Mar. 19th, 2004 05:21 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
morganknightTextile Mill Disaster "Suspicious"
Police Investigators to Continue Work With Extra Support
LOS ANGELES -- Calling the March 17th machinery malfunction at the Knight Textiles mill "suspicious", police chief Ronald Bateman stated at a press conference yesterday that investigators would be returning to take a "closer look" at the damaged machine that left twenty-three dead and many more wounded.
According to preliminary investigations, Bateman stated, the mill's machinery had been damaged in ways that were "consistent with untreated wear and tear over the course of years," a circumstance which raised immediate suspicions in the eyes of investigators and local politicians alike.
"Basically," Bateman concluded, "we have cause to believe that Knight Textiles was not properly maintaining its equipment, and because of this, lives were lost." When contacted, representatives of Knight Textiles declined to comment.
The machinery in question exploded on March 17th, sending rescue workers scrambling to pick up the pieces. Twenty-three workers lost their lives, with many others in critical condition at local area hospitals. Knight Corporation, the parent company of Knight Textiles, has been in panic mode since then, issuing press releases disclaiming knowledge of any wrongdoing or responsibility for the disaster. Spokespersons for the company would not confirm or deny rumors that company president Morgan Knight intends to personally travel to Los Angeles.
Clean-up efforts began yesterday, but the factory will remain closed indefinitely pending the results of the investigations. Workers SEE INVESTIGATION, PAGE A11
Police Investigators to Continue Work With Extra Support
LOS ANGELES -- Calling the March 17th machinery malfunction at the Knight Textiles mill "suspicious", police chief Ronald Bateman stated at a press conference yesterday that investigators would be returning to take a "closer look" at the damaged machine that left twenty-three dead and many more wounded.
According to preliminary investigations, Bateman stated, the mill's machinery had been damaged in ways that were "consistent with untreated wear and tear over the course of years," a circumstance which raised immediate suspicions in the eyes of investigators and local politicians alike.
"Basically," Bateman concluded, "we have cause to believe that Knight Textiles was not properly maintaining its equipment, and because of this, lives were lost." When contacted, representatives of Knight Textiles declined to comment.
The machinery in question exploded on March 17th, sending rescue workers scrambling to pick up the pieces. Twenty-three workers lost their lives, with many others in critical condition at local area hospitals. Knight Corporation, the parent company of Knight Textiles, has been in panic mode since then, issuing press releases disclaiming knowledge of any wrongdoing or responsibility for the disaster. Spokespersons for the company would not confirm or deny rumors that company president Morgan Knight intends to personally travel to Los Angeles.
Clean-up efforts began yesterday, but the factory will remain closed indefinitely pending the results of the investigations. Workers SEE INVESTIGATION, PAGE A11
