Company, managers indicted in fire that killed worker
A Cincinnati environmental services company has been indicted after the death of a 20-year-old employee in a fire, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Friday.
Zachary Henzerling was working at Environmental Enterprises, Inc. in Spring Grove Village on Dec. 28, 2012, DeWine said, when a fire broke out as he was treating hazardous waste. Henzerling was burned, and later died from his wounds.
Henzerling’s supervisor, Kyle M. Duffens, is facing one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of reckless homicide, and three counts of violating the terms of a solid waste license, including failure to take proper precautions to prevent a fire or explosion, according to court records.
Manager Gerald E. Nocks was also indicted on one count of violating a solid waste license for failing to properly train employees, one count of tampering with records, and two counts of tampering with evidence, the records state.
DeWine said Nocks is accused of falsifying training records to make it appear that employees had received training they had not been given.
Environment Enterprises, Inc. is also named in all the charges.
A Hamilton County Grand Jury handed down the indictment Thursday.
An attorney with DeWine’s Special Prosecutions Section was appointed by Hamilton County Prosecutor Joseph T. Deters to serve as a special prosecutor in the case.
Nocks and Duffens have not been taken into custody. The pair is scheduled to arraigned in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday.