City Could Face Legal Action After Worker's Fatal Fall Down Austin Airport Grease Trap

The city of Austin could face legal action after a contract worker fell into a grease trap at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and died earlier this year, according to a city memo filed on Tuesday.

The city received a legal notice claim on behalf of Lonnie Dearey's estate on June 5, the memo said. A legal claim notice serves as a notification of someone's intent to pursue legal action.

Dearey, 48, died on April 11 after falling into the trap the day before. Austin-Travis County EMS spokesman Mike Benavides said medics received reports of the incident around 3:07 a.m., and that two other men were also involved. Medics said the two others were able to pull themselves out of the trap, but Dearey was found about 10 feet down the trap unconscious, unresponsive and in cardiac arrest.

EARLIER COVERAGE: Three hospitalized after falling into grease trap at Austin airport, officials say

Medics pulled him out and regained a pulse before taking him to St. David's South Austin Medical Center, where he died.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration opened an investigation immediately after the incident and is still working to complete its report.

"The City of Austin has provided an update on the sad situation involving the death of a contract employee at the airport in April 2019," city officials said in a statement Wednesday. "... While the City is not subject to OSHA regulations and enforcement, we are cooperating fully with the investigation."

City officials said Dearey was working for Liquid Environmental Solutions LLC, which began servicing the airport's grease trap when it was constructed in 2015. The city is now using a different vendor to service the trap until a solicitation process to identify a new vendor is completed.

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