Hurricane Katrina Grand Casino
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued proposed fines of $85,575 against three companies in the March deaths of two construction workers during the demolition of hurricane-damaged Grand Casino in Gulfport, Miss.
Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 storm that made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast in August 2006. The storm triggered catastrophic flooding, particularly in the city of New Orleans. The pier Borries was building was nearly finished in August 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit and one of the Grand’s two casino barges slammed into it. The third-party damage wasn’t covered by company owner Kenny Borries’ insurance. Because the casino wouldn’t reimburse Borries for the damage, he filed a lawsuit. The top QuickBird image, taken on August 31, shows extensive damage in the blocks nearest the shore. Within two city blocks, two floating casinos—the Casino Magic and the Grand Casino Biloxi—have disappeared. The Casino Magic has been carried inland and now sits in the parking lot that was across the street.
The two construction workers drowned after passing out from hazardous fumes, Harrison County Coroner Gary Hargrove said.
The men were pumping water out of a portion of the casino that collapsed during Hurricane Katrina when the accident occurred. Officials believe the two, working in water about 6 feet deep, became trapped in a tight space.
The workers were identified as Tim Fitzgerald, 49, of Newport News, Va., and Miguel Hidalgo-Soberano, 48, of Cardenas Tabasco, Mexico.
The men, employed by Dominion Marine Group LTD of Norfolk, Va., were part of a marine team working with PRC Environmental, a Houston company that dismantled the barge.
“This tragic accident would have been prevented if the employer had tested for toxic gas and followed OSHA’s confined space regulations,” Clyde Payne, director of OSHA’s Jackson area office, said in statement.
Payne said OSHA proposed fines of $69,600 to Dominion Marine for allowing the workers into an area known to contain hydrogen sulfide gas without testing for safe levels of the chemical. The company also was cited for failing to test the area for flammable gas, failing to properly secure compressed gas cylinders and using damaged welding-gas pressure regulators.
Payne said PRC Environmental was cited for similar violations with a proposed fine of $15,675. He said a fine of $300 was proposed for Advanced Demolition.
The companies have 15 working days to appeal the OSHA citations and proposed fines.
When the hurricane slammed ashore on Aug. 29, 2005, part of the Gulfport Grand was ripped off its moorings in the Mississippi Sound and heaved onto coastal U.S. 90.
Hurricane Katrina Grand Casino Reservations
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- Categories:Southeast NewsTopics:Construction and Contractors, Government, Hurricanes, Mexico, Mississippi, Safety & Loss Control, Virginia, Workers Compensation
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Katrina Photos - Mississippi Coast Casinos
Page OnePage TwoPage Three-Biloxi Front BeachPage Four-Katrina SignsPage five Point Cadet/East Biloxi
Page 6 - Biloxi Landmarks Page 7 - Casinos Page 8 - Waveland HomesPage Nine - Waveland Distribution Center
Page 10 - Bay St. LouisPage 11 - Pass ChristianPage 12 - GulfportPage 13 - West Gulfport (3-Months After)
Page 14 - Pass Christian (4-Months After) New - Biloxi Point Cadet Homes 10 Months After
Hurricane Katrina Grand Casino Players Club
Beau Rivage shortly after Katrina | Treasure Bay shipwrecked |
Treasure Bay Casino barge | Six months after Katrina, work to demolish the Treasure Bay's Casino barge is underway. |
Treasure Bay Casino Main Building | Gaping hole in the Grand's Barge shows slots ready to play |
The Grand's Casino Barge Crushed Ohr Museum Building | The Grand's casino barge looking east on U.S.90 |
Biloxi Grand's main site is still closed six months after Katrina but the property is being maintained. | Grand's Biloxi Casino Barge six months after Katrina. Demolition is nearly complete. This photo is taken on March 5, 2006. |
Biloxi Casino Magic silhouetted looking west on U.S.90 photographed several weeks after Katrina. | Casino Magic six months after Katrina remains closed. No work is underway. No word on when the casino will reopen. |
Hard Rock suffered extensive damages. Photo shortly after Katrina. | Six months later, there is no work underway on the Hard Rock as the money for its repair is tied up in a legal issue. However, developers are maintaining the property. It's casino barge suffered catastrophic damages. |
President Casino Barge shortly after Katrina. | President Casino Barge five months after Katrina. |
Repairs are underway on the Palace Casino. Photo taken several weeks after Katrina. | Six months later, the Palace Casino is open with a new land-based casino inside its hotel. But repairs are still being made. |
Boomtown survived the storm on Back Bay, but damaged | Imperial Palace survived with only modest damages. |
Boomtown Casino six months after Katrina. Boomtown's casino barge has been taken to a Pascagoula Shipyard for repairs. It normally would be seen on the left side of the photo. The casino is set to reopen late in 2006. But look for a different configuration. Boomtown is plans to move its casino barge to a new mooring location. The fill dirt seen in this photo is just south of the new mooring location. | Imperial Palace is open. Photo six months after Katrina. |
Gulfport Grand suffered major damages. Harrah's, which owned the Gulfport Grand, has sold the property to the Copa's owners, who will open a new casino in the former Grand Oasis Hotel. | Gulfport Grand Entrance |
Copa Casino was destroyed | Gulfport Grand's Hotel |
Casino Row looking east. Harrah's recently demolished the Grand's Island View Hotel in the foreground right. The entire Grand Casino property will be redesigned.
| Biloxi Casino Row by Satellite Click on image for larger version - Sat Photo by NOAA
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