Nation briefs 06/30/03

Stampede Meat products recalled for contamination

WASHINGTON -- Stampede Meat Inc., a Chicago processor of steaks and other meat products, is voluntarily recalling some 739,000 pounds of vacuum packaged steaks and other meat products that may be contaminated with potentially deadly bacteria, federal health officials said Sunday.

The Agriculture Department's Food Safety and Inspection Service said the products subject to the recall were produced between March 17 and March 22 and bear the establishment code "EST. 19113" inside the USDA inspection mark.

The meats were distributed to restaurants, institutions and retail stores nationwide. The products were also sold directly to consumers through door-to-door sales. Additionally, the products were distributed to institutions in Canada.

The products may be linked to five E. coli illnesses in Minnesota, Kansas and Michigan, health officials said.

Acetylene tank blast during fire injures 22

OCEANSIDE, N.Y. -- An improperly stored acetylene tank exploded early Sunday during a fire at an industrial laundry and injured 22 firefighters, 10 of them seriously, officials said.

The fire started in a hamper of freshly washed laundry, said Gene Pietzak, an investigator with the Nassau County Fire Marshal's office. It was ignited by a chemical reaction between a detergent and oil stains on the hot clothing, Pietzak said.

"You just have to have the right circumstances coming into play," he said.

The acetylene tank blew up, knocking out walls and collapsing part of the roof about 10 minutes after firefighters decided to leave the building, Pietzak said.

"It would have been a lot more serious," he said.

Pietzak said the acetylene tank was improperly stored alongside other fuel and oxygen tanks, even though such tanks are supposed to be kept separate. A propane tank also exploded.

Agency to study rash of drownings in Florida

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Spurred by a rash of drownings in June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will spearhead an investigation into conditions along Florida's Panhandle.

Nine people, including 57-year-old Bob Hehmeyer Jr. of St. Louis County, Mo., drowned in the Gulf of Mexico along the northwest Florida coast over two days in early June, and nearly 40 others needed rescue.

Dr. Christine Branche, director of the CDC's Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention, held a conference call with state and local officials Friday to begin setting up a group to seek solutions to the drownings.

The U.S. Lifesaving Association made 35 suggestions last year for improving safety on Santa Rosa Island -- most notably to hire dozens more lifeguards. Since 2001, 23 people have drowned in unguarded spots along Escambia and Santa Rosa beaches.

Authorities seize animals in illegal reptile ring

DETROIT -- State and federal wildlife officials seized hundreds of rare and endangered turtles and snakes in raids Saturday aimed at breaking up one of the nation's largest suspected networks of illegal reptile and amphibian sales.

The morning raids in Ohio, Indiana and southern Michigan followed a two-year investigation by the states' departments of natural resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, officials said.

"It's the first time we've actually been able to catch them and hopefully it will send a strong message to curtail that activity," said Brad Wurfel, press secretary for the Michigan DNR.

The ring was under observation for more than a decade, and the break came when investigators managed to infiltrate the group by posing as dealers, trappers and customers, officials said.

At least 50 people in the three states are expected to be charged, officials said.

-- From wire reports