A Hamilton man, who was one of five killed in a power plant explosion in
Middletown, Connecticut, only had one more day to work before heading home.
On Jan. 30, Roy Rushton wrote as his Facebook status: "Heading to
Connecticut tomorrow morning until the eighth of February, Home one day and
then off to DAYTONA!!!”
He and his friends had planned to go to Daytona Beach, Florida after his
Connecticut gig.
Rushton, 36, and four other men were killed when an explosion occurred at
the Kleen Energy plant at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 7.
Media reports say Rushton was a journeyman mechanic, supervising
installation of insulation at the construction site.
Rushton's is survived by his wife, Patricia, and his four-year-old daughter,
Clare.
His last Facebook post was Jan. 31, when he said he had made it to
Wallingford, Conn., which is about 20 minutes from Middletown: "No problems,
now to find somewhere to eat."
Kleen Energy said there were about 114 workers and nine subcontractors
working on the site. More than two dozen people were injured in the blast,
and six workers were still being treated in hospital on Monday.
Recovery efforts at the plant were stalled Monday after the plant was deemed
unsafe. State officials have obtained a search warrant to investigate the
cause of the explosion.
Governor Jodi Rell called for a panel to look into the explosion, including
looking at any contributing factors such as construction problems, worker
safety issues and licensing or permitting matters.
"The explosion in Middletown not only shattered the peace of a quiet Sunday
morning, it led to the tragic loss of five valuable lives and devastated
their families," Rell said in a statement on her website.
