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Subway Supervisor Is Demoted for His Role in Fatal Acccident


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Subway Supervisor Is Demoted for His Role in Fatal Acccident

By WILLIAM NEUMAN

NEW YORK TIMES

August 25, 2007

 

The superintendent who investigators said was partly responsible for the death of a subway track worker has been demoted and will be assigned to a job as a cleaner, a person with knowledge of the disciplinary action said yesterday.

 

The superintendent, Lloyd London, was in charge of a small group of workers at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn station in Downtown Brooklyn on April 29, when a G train struck and killed Marvin Franklin, 55, a veteran track worker.

 

Mr. Franklin and another worker, Jeff Hill, were carrying a heavy piece of equipment across the tracks when the G train suddenly appeared around a curve. The train also struck Mr. Hill, who survived with injuries.

 

A board of inquiry impaneled by New York City Transit found that Mr. London had “the greatest culpability” for the accident.

 

The investigation found that Mr. London had told the workers that he would act as a flagman and watch for oncoming trains, but then failed to do so.

 

In carrying the equipment across the active tracks, the workers were breaking several safety rules, and the investigation found that Mr. London should have ordered Mr. Franklin and Mr. Hill to take a safer route.

 

Mr. London denied saying that he would act as a flagman, but the investigators said his account was contradicted by the testimony of other witnesses.

 

According to a person with access to documents relating to Mr. London’s disciplinary proceeding, Mr. London agreed on Thursday to be reassigned to a job as a cleaner, rather than be fired.

 

The action also barred him from ever holding a “safety-sensitive” job at the agency, including working on the tracks or operating a train.

 

Mr. London had been a track worker for several years before receiving training as a supervisor in May 2006. He had been a supervisor for less than a year at the time the accident occurred.

 

A spokesman for Local 100 of the Transport Workers Union, which represents Mr. London, said union officials would not comment on his case.

 

A spokesman for New York City Transit could not be reached last night.

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