A wrongful death lawsuit that centers around the deaths of 2 east Texas firefighters has gone to trial.
In January of 2009, Kyle Perkins and Corey Galloway fell to their deaths during a training exercise in Kilgore.
In Gregg county court, taped testimony was given from representatives of ‘E-ONE’, the makers of the ladder truck which the firefighters fell from, a vehicle that family members says their loved ones were not fully trained on.
“You feel comfortable in that bucket and you feel comfortable taking folks up in that bucket without belts on correct?” a plaintiff attorney asked.
“Yes sir,” said E-ONE representative Fred Cureton.
On January 25, 2009 a training exercise at an eight story college dorm in Kilgore went terribly wrong, with firefighters Kyle Perkins and Cory Galloway falling 8 stories to their deaths.
Judge Alfonso Charles took the jury outside, where they inspected the actual bucket the firefighters fell from.
Part of the suit is focused on the lack of safety harnesses worn or available during the exercise. An E-ONE instructor admitted he had not observed company policy that required passengers in the bucket to wear safety harnesses.
The suit seeks unspecified damages and alleged gross negligence. Judge Alfonso Charles says he expects the trial to go well into next week.
