Cities Check Safety of Concrete Benches
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ORANGE COUNTY — More than a dozen cities throughout Orange County have had inspectors examine concrete benches in their communities since an 800-pound concrete bench fatally crushed Anthony Ferris of Laguna Niguel on Monday.
“We’re out there making sure there’s no chance of tipping,” said Keith Rattay, Mission Viejo maintenance services manager. “We don’t want to fall victim to anything like Laguna Niguel. If there’s any chance the concrete benches are unsafe or can be moved, we’ll get rid of them this week.”
Investigators for the YMCA and the city of Laguna Niguel are continuing to look into the accident’s cause. Several children were seated on the back of the bench when it flipped over during a YMCA Martin Luther King Day outing at Chapparosa Park, according to eyewitnesses who spoke to the sheriff’s department.
The cities said they were spurred to check the safety of their benches in part because of calls from concerned parents.
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