NASA Accepting Claims of Damaged Property From Columbia Debris

AP ^ | 2/2/03

[Jean S]

NASA is accepting claims from people who say they were injured or their property was damaged by falling Columbia debris.

The space agency is coordinating with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to address claims requiring immediate action, officials said Sunday.

Pieces as small as a quarter and as big as a pickup truck were found after the fatal explosion Saturday. There were no reports of injuries from debris.

A foot-long metal bracket smashed through the roof of a dentist's office in Nacogdoches, Texas. A jagged, half-moon-shaped metal piece about 5-feet long landed in a front yard in the town.

In addition, a V-shaped chunk of metal landed in the median of U.S. 79 just northeast of Palestine, Texas.

An 18-inch piece of what appeared to be duct piping put a dent in the roof of Rice High School in Navarro County. Debris was also found near the pitcher's mound of the school's baseball field and track.

AP-ES-02-02-03 2103EST

[evolved_rage]

Gosh, it sounds like the lawyers are flying in to this part of Texas.

[JoeFromCA]

This may have been noted in a previous post, but today on TV (Fox, I think), the report was that at least 8 people had been hospitalized for "burns and breathing difficulties" after coming into contact with debris. IMO, most of the claims of injury will be bogus, and there will be quite a few of them. Quick way for ne'er do wells to recover a few bucks from the gub'mint.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

I feel it was a miracle that debris did not hit kill anyone. What damage could a field have? The EPA will make sure all is cleaned up from any soil infiltration/damage. The only pics I saw were of maybe an old wood garage shed.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

My first thought as well... O.J. 's lawyer will show and claim his multi million dollar Gulf Coast home was hit with space dust particles causing him to want to kill someone.

[apackof2]

Just like 9-11 this tradegy will bring out the worst as well as the best amoung us.

[VetoBill]

What damage could a field have?

The field could have winter wheat in it. All the inspectors retrieving and examining the debris will track up a field, hurting a final stand and allowing places for weeds to grow.

Damages could also depend upon how heavy the recovery equipment is, the amount of traffic into the field, and the farming practices. Many no-till farmers are quite concerned about yield robbing compaction caused by heavy traffic.

[Tennessee_Bob]

Here you go

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

They will probably make a federal case :-) out of retrieving a one inch piece of debris from the middle of the field, so I agree farmers should be given compensation to make things the way they were.

PLEASE AMERICA: Do not shame me as an American and let me even hear this debris for sale on E-Bay.

[TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!]

Is that real or a joke?

[Tennessee_Bob]

Posted from a previous thread - comes from the Dallas News website - allegedly hit by debris.

[VetoBill]

The problem is damage most likely will not come from any investigators, it will come from reporters trying to get a scoop.

BTW I am not even sure that anyone IS trying to claim damages on a field as of yet.

I really haven't paid much attention to the recovery efforts, but I have seen very few actual damages. I guess I need to put on my ambulance chasing jacket, comb my hair into a Matlock style, and listen to the plight of people who could not go to the grocery store to pick up another pack of smokes because their cousin's nephew's uncle's neighbor knew a guy who had a chunk of debris fall into their backyard.

[HiTech RedNeck]

When the jet hit the Pentagon on 9/11 there was scarcely anything recognizable from the jet left. Why should we expect to find a lot from the shuttle?