FRITTS, Edward William 1967 - 1992

FRITTS, REDEKER, RAMBO, ROUSH, SMITH

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 5/8/2022 at 16:28:53

"The Fairfield Ledger"
Monday, December 14, 1992
Front Page, Column 5

Libertyville man killed in building collapse

OTTUMWA (AP) -- Falling debris crushed a demolition worker Friday as the top floors of the last building in an abandoned meatpacking complex collapsed.

Lt. Gary Chiles of the Ottumwa Police Department said the worker died as the top part of the building at the former John Morrell & Co. complex fell as it was being torn down. The worker was operating concrete chipping equipment in the building.

"The man tried to move away but the building went so fast. It's an unexpected collapse," said Christy Collicott, the Ottumwa city engineer.

Rubble trapped the worker in the machine, and other workers had to clear away debris to find the body.

Police identified the man as Edward FRITTS, 25, of Libertyville. Chiles said there were no other injuries.

Chiles said others were working in the rear of the building, but FRITTS was the only one in the front of the structure when it collapsed.

The city is spending $4 million for workers to raze the plant and make way for an industrial park. Several buildings at the sprawling meatpacking complex that has been abandoned for 20 years already have been razed.

One was demolished by a dynamite blast earlier this year, but the others were taken down by demolition crews after owners of nearby businesses complained of damage.

Friday's death was the second since the Morrell complex was left vacant in 1973. Jeffrey Paul Smith, 25, of Ottumwa died when he fell down a 40-foot elevator shaft at the complex Nov. 22, 1990. Authorities said he and six others were playing a war game when the accident occurred. The other six were charged with trespassing.

Smith's mother, Kathleen Smith of Ottumwa, sued the county last month, saying county officials did not properly board up the elevator shaft. She asked an unspecified amount of damage.

The John Morrell & Co. plant opened in Ottumwa in 1877. At its peak in 1970, nearly 2,800 people worked at the plant.

Two other meat packing plants have operated in Ottumwa near the old complex, but the Morrell buildings have been vacant since 1973. Wapello County took over the complex in 1987 after taxes had not been paid.

The city and county later agreed that the city would raze the buildings and take over the land for the industrial park.

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"The Fairfield Ledger"
Monday, December 14, 1992
Page 12, Columns 2 and 3

Edward William FRITTS

Edward William FRITTS, 25, of Libertyville, died Friday morning, Dec. 11, 1992, in Ottumwa (note: in Wapello Co., IA).

The service was at 2:30 this afternoon at Behner Funeral Home with the Rev. Sara Malone officiating. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery. A memorial has been established.

FRITTS was born April 5, 1967, in Fairfield, the son of John and Jane REDEKER FRITTS Jr. He graduated from Fairfield High School in 1985. On June 5, 1987, he married Rosemary RAMBO in Fairfield. He was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church and was a volunteer fireman in Libertyville, where he had lived for the past five years. He had been a demolition worker for Britz contracting.

Surviving are his wife; three children, Johnathan Lee, 9, Corissa Nicole, 3, Jacob Dakota, 1, all at home; his parents, John Jr. of Fairfield and Jane FRITTS of Eldon; three sisters, Christy ROUSH, Cathy FRITTS, both of Fairfield, Beth SMITH of Birmingham; and his grandparents, John and Ezra FRITTS Sr. and Ruth REDEKER, all of Fairfield. His grandfather, Frank REDEKER, preceded him in death.

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*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.

Note: Buried in Lot 4th.038.