Senator receives notice from General Petraeus; Pentagon will also conduct theater-wide inspections of all maintained facilities
WASHINGTON, DC–U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today released the following statement after learning from General David Petraeus that 13 individuals, not 12 as originally thought, have been electrocuted in Iraq since September 2003. Senator Casey also has learned that the Pentagon has ordered KBR to conduct theater-wide inspections of all maintained facilities to ensure that similar problems do not appear elsewhere.
“I am deeply troubled to learn that now thirteen Americans have lost their lives in this manner. One death by electrocution is too many; the Department of Defense has an obligation to ensure that no future electrocutions occur on U.S. military installations in Iraq.
“While I am pleased to learn that there will now be a theater-wide, full inspection of all maintained facilities to help ensure all facilities are safe, this should have happened a while ago. It is my hope that these inspections will help bring our troops, who are already making too many sacrifices, comfort and peace of mind and the same to their families,” said Senator Casey.
Senator Casey has been a leader on the issue of electrocution-related deaths in Iraq. Two weeks ago, after meeting with Cheryl Harris, mother of Staff Sergeant Ryan Maseth who was electrocuted while taking a shower in Iraq, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, demanding to know what steps the Department of Defense (DOD) has taken to ensure that no other soldiers serving in Iraq are electrocuted due to faulty wiring or negligent maintenance.
According to the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Staff Sergeant. Maseth died when the electricity in the shower facility short-circuited because an electric water pump on the rooftop was not properly grounded. An initial investigation by the DOD’s Criminal Investigative Division office found that the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) was aware of the electrical safety hazard posed by this shower facility prior to the death of Staff Sgt. Maseth. The Pentagon has turned over the investigation to the Department’s Inspector General for further investigation.
In April, Senator Casey asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate all accidental electrocution-related deaths or injuries of military and contract personnel in Iraq. Because the Inspector General (IG) of the DOD was already conducting an ongoing investigation, the GAO declined Senator Casey’s request.
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“I am deeply troubled to learn that now thirteen Americans have lost their lives in this manner. One death by electrocution is too many; the Department of Defense has an obligation to ensure that no future electrocutions occur on U.S. military installations in Iraq.
“While I am pleased to learn that there will now be a theater-wide, full inspection of all maintained facilities to help ensure all facilities are safe, this should have happened a while ago. It is my hope that these inspections will help bring our troops, who are already making too many sacrifices, comfort and peace of mind and the same to their families,” said Senator Casey.
Senator Casey has been a leader on the issue of electrocution-related deaths in Iraq. Two weeks ago, after meeting with Cheryl Harris, mother of Staff Sergeant Ryan Maseth who was electrocuted while taking a shower in Iraq, Senator Casey sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, demanding to know what steps the Department of Defense (DOD) has taken to ensure that no other soldiers serving in Iraq are electrocuted due to faulty wiring or negligent maintenance.
According to the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Staff Sergeant. Maseth died when the electricity in the shower facility short-circuited because an electric water pump on the rooftop was not properly grounded. An initial investigation by the DOD’s Criminal Investigative Division office found that the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) was aware of the electrical safety hazard posed by this shower facility prior to the death of Staff Sgt. Maseth. The Pentagon has turned over the investigation to the Department’s Inspector General for further investigation.
In April, Senator Casey asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate all accidental electrocution-related deaths or injuries of military and contract personnel in Iraq. Because the Inspector General (IG) of the DOD was already conducting an ongoing investigation, the GAO declined Senator Casey’s request.
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