City officials apologize to woman over manhole fall

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July 20, 2010

By Ryan Smith Meadville Tribune The Meadville Tribune Tue Jul 20, 2010, 07:00 AM EDT

MEADVILLE — Hazel Steele’s phone has started ringing.

Following an article in Saturday’s Tribune about a painful experience involving a City of Meadville-owned manhole cover made even more painful by a lack of response from the city manager, Steele received what she described as a “very apologetic” call from City Manager Joe Chriest. She also received a call from Mayor Christopher Soff, who apologized both personally and on behalf of the city for the lack of response and scheduled a face-to-face meeting.

In April, Steele stepped on the manhole cover as she was crossing Liberty Street on the southeast corner of the North Street intersection. On the sidewalk just inches from the curb, the manhole gives workers access to a storm drain. When she stepped down, the cover gave way under her feet, plunging three-quarters of her body below ground. Pulled from the hole by a Meadville police officer and a bystander, Steele’s legs were scraped and bruised and she suffered nerve damage to her hand that continues to interfere with her daily activities.

When she attempted to contact the city about the incident, however, she didn’t receive a response.

For Steele, however, the greatest impact of Saturday’s story hasn’t been the response from the city. “I’ve been vindicated,” she said. Ever since it happened, she explained, many of the people she’s told about her harrowing experience simply haven’t been able to believe that such a thing could happen — especially to a person who only weighs 125 pounds. “They couldn’t believe that one of those big, heavy covers could just break,” she said.

Believe it.

Mary Spicer can be reached at 724-6370 or by e-mail at mspicer@meadvilletribune.com.

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City officials apologize to woman over manhole fall

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