Company blamed over epoxy for Big Dig death is indicted

8/8/2007

BOSTON The company that provided the epoxy blamed in the fatal Big Dig tunnel collapse was indicted today in the death of a motorist crushed by ceiling panels.

Powers Fasteners Inc., based in Brewster, N.Y., was the only company involved in the construction and design of the tunnel to be indicted by the Suffolk County grand jury, Attorney General Martha Coakley said.

A report from the National Transportation Safety Board released last month found the July 10, 2006, collapse could have been avoided if designers and construction crews had considered that the epoxy holding support anchors for the panels could slowly pull away over time.

Milena Del Valle, 39, was killed when 26 tons of concrete panels and hardware came crashing down from a tunnel ceiling onto her car as she and her husband drove through the westbound I-90 connector tunnel. Her husband crawled out of the rubble with minor injuries.

The company did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

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