World Trade Center News

Ex-New York City Crane Inspector Admits Taking Bribes

The city’s former chief crane inspector admitted taking more than $10,000 in payoffs to fake inspection and crane operator licensing exam results, selling out a 26-year career bit by bit over nearly a decade. James Delayo showed no emotion Tuesday …

Judge Rejects $575M Settlement Offer for Sept. 11 ‘Heroes’

A federal judge rejected a multimillion dollar settlement for people sickened by ash and dust from the World Trade Center, saying the deal to compensate 10,000 police officers, firefighters and other laborers didn’t contain enough money. U.S. District Judge Alvin …

New York’s ‘Ground Zero’ Workers Reach Settlement with Insurer

Thousands of workers who suffered health problems after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 have reached a settlement worth up to $657.5 million with an insurer representing the city of New York, city officials and lawyers said Thursday. Thousands of …

Federal Study of Fatal 2007 South Carolina Sofa Store Fire Not Ready

A complex federal study of a fire that killed nine South Carolina firefighters, already delayed by months, is still months from completion, authorities said. The National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Md., is studying the June 18, 2007, …

Families of Firefighters Killed in South Carolina Sofa Store Fire Settle

Families of eight firefighters killed battling a South Carolina furniture store fire almost three years ago have settled with another group of lawsuit defendants for more than $1.2 million. The June 18, 2007, fire at the Sofa Super Store killed …

Countries Raise Security in Malacca Strait after Terror Warning

Malaysia and Indonesia said on Thursday they are stepping up security in the Strait of Malacca, one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, following the Singapore navy’s warning of possible attacks on oil tankers. The Singapore navy “has received indication …

Maritime Terrorism Could Have Global Economic Impact

Singapore said on Friday it had raised alert levels in the city-state and beefed up security at its airport and new casino resorts after a warning of possible attacks on oil tankers in the Malacca Strait. [See IJ web site …

Haiti Earthquake to Cost Insurers Millions: Equecat

The earthquake that struck Haiti may have caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, according to risk assessor Eqecat, which will likely lead to losses even for insurers of well-designed buildings. Eqecat said Tuesday hours after the magnitude 7.0 …

Much of Haiti Damage Uninsured

The insurance industry is unlikely to face large losses from a major earthquake that struck Haiti Tuesday, because many properties in the impoverished country lack insurance coverage, according to catastrophe modeler Risk Management Solutions. “The impact to the insurance industry …

Declarations

Somber Anniversary “Insurance claim dollars are playing an essential role in rebuilding Lower Manhattan.” —Robert P. Hartwig, the Insurance Information Institute’s president and chief economist, commenting on rebuilding efforts in the vicinity of the World Trade Center site, eight years …