OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Friday morning, a 12-inch water main ruptured under the road at 30th and Q. Barricades were put up while crews worked on repairs. Saturday night, two vehicles fell into the pit leaving one dead.
- M.U.D. says the impacted area was barricaded per city code and an arrow board directed traffic to the through lane.
- According to police, Saturday night around 10:30 p.m., one car, with 44-year-old Francisco Hernandez Martinez behind the wheel, went into the pit. He died.
- Omaha city councilman Ron Hug says there are strict federal guidelines on how barricades are placed around excavation sites this this.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A construction site at 30th and Q turned deadly over the weekend. I'm Jill Lamkins in South Omaha, following the series of events that led to two cars falling into this pit at different times.
On Friday morning, just before 11:00 a.m., Omaha Public Works and M.U.D. got the call.
A 12-inch water main ruptured under the road at 30th and Q. Crews arrived around noon and closed off the westbound lanes, then opened a pit to better access that main.
M.U.D. says the water was shut off at 1:00 p.m. while crews made repairs. The pit stayed open.
According to police, Saturday night around 10:30 p.m., one car, with 44-year-old Francisco Hernandez Martinez behind the wheel, went into the pit. He died.
But that wasn’t discovered until a second car crashed. That driver survived.
M.U.D. workers were also there on Monday. I asked for an interview several times, but the utility declined.
However, they did provide a statement, saying the impacted area was barricaded per city code and an arrow board directed traffic to the through lane.
Omaha City Councilman Ron Hug says the company that put up the barricades has a joint contract with M.U.D. and the City of Omaha.
“The placement of these barricades is done strictly in the guidance of the Department of Transportation, so strict federal guidelines on where and how these barricades will be placed when there’s an excavation site like this going on,” said Hug.
I asked Omaha police for an interview, but because the investigation is still ongoing, they declined at this time.
