Statue Honors Man Who Fell Into Sewage Tank
On September 27, a sculpture was unveiled in Spokane, Washington, honoring Mike Cmos Jr, who died two years ago when he fell into a sewage tank.
The accident occurred on May 10, 2004 when Cmos, a maintenance man, investigated a malfunctioning digester tank at the Spokane Wastewater Treatment Plant. Cmos had climbed atop the 40-foot-tall tank when its roof collapsed, dropping him into umpteen-million gallons of sludge. His body was found, near the bottom, two days later.
The tank collapse ejected a wave of 200,000 gallons of sewage, some of which made its way into the nearby Spokane River, and for which the city was eventually fined $6,000, or roughly 33 cents a gallon.
The sculpture, made out of copper tubing by a nun, is named "Fish On" and remembers Cmos in happier times. It shows him and his daughter seated on rocks. The figure is holding a pole as if fishing in a river not contaminated with partially digested sewage.
[10/01/2006]Riverside Park Water Reclamation Facility
- Address:
- 4401 N. Aubrey L. White Parkway, Spokane, WA
- Directions:
- Near the office entrance of the Riverside Park Water Reclamation Facility. I-90 exit 280. North on Walnut St., which turns into Maple St. Cross the river, and in about ten blocks turn left onto Maxwell Ave. Maxwell bends right and turns into Pettet Drive, then turns into Downriver Drive as it follows the river, then turns into the Aubrey L. White Parkway. The sewage treatment plant will be on the left.
