Pier collapse turns tragic for brothers

The two brothers involved in the dockside accident that killed one of them yesterday on Harbor Island had more than a half century of experience between them at Crowley Marine Services.

Don Clovis, 48, of Lynnwood, the ramp operator who died in the accident, had been with Crowley for 25 years, said company spokesman Ryan Malane.

Don's brother, Larry Clovis, 53, of Seattle, a foreman on the rail dock, has been with the company for 27 years, Malane said.

Don Clovis, who was raised in Ballard, was married and had a 14-year-old stepdaughter and 5-year-old son.

Clovis loved his job, a relative said yesterday.

He died at Harborview Medical Center about two hours after being pulled from Puget Sound by rescue divers. Clovis had been thrown into the water after a barge struck the dock structure. He was submerged for about 45 minutes.

His brother, Larry, remained in critical condition this morning at Harborview, according to a nursing supervisor. Before medical personnel arrived, he was rescued by co-workers who put him into a boat.

The accident, which happened about 9:30 a.m. at Pier 15 1/2 near 11th Avenue Southwest and Southwest Massachusetts Street on Harbor Island, occurred as workers from Crowley Marine Services were preparing to help dock a barge filled with railroad cars.

Crowley spokesman Malane said a barge, leased and operated by Seaspan International of Vancouver, B.C., struck and ruptured a ballast tank at the end of the dock. The tank, which regulates the height of the dock, filled with water and flipped the 120-foot-long steel dock, tossing the men into the water, he said.

Don Clovis may have been inside a control booth on the dock while his older brother apparently was standing on the structure, Malane said.

Three agencies, including the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, are investigating yesterday's dock collapse.

In addition to OSHA, the accident is under investigation by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Seattle Police Department, which sent its dive team after Don Clovis.

OSHA will concentrate on worker-safety issues and examine whether Crowley, a privately held tug and barge company with operations on the West and East coasts, exposed its workers to undue hazards, said Dean Ikeda, area director for OSHA's Washington office.

The Coast Guard will focus on whether the vessels involved were properly operated. The barge, which wasn't self-propelled, was being pushed and guided toward the dock by two tugs, said Lt. Trever George. The tug behind the barge was operated by Seaspan, while the tug alongside the vessel was operated by Crowley, he said.

The Coast Guard yesterday administered drug tests - a standard procedure - to the master, chief engineer and three crew members on the Seaspan tug and the master and chief engineer of the Crowley tug, said George. Results are expected in about a week.

Malane described Don and Larry Clovis as well-liked, well-respected employees.

"The company is trying to do its best to rally around the families of these men and support our other employees," he said.

The Clovis brothers were not the only sibling team working for the company, said Malane, adding that the family-owned business has many employees who have worked there for a long time.

Meanwhile, Seaspan, also a tug and barge company, sent several company officials to Seattle yesterday to help answer questions and assist in the investigations.

Rob Stewart, vice president for marine operations, said the company regularly transports rail cars by barge from Vancouver to Seattle. Typically, lumber products - including plywood, paper and pulp - are transported during the 15- to 17-hour trip, he said.

An employee of Seaspan died in front of Pier 15 1/2 in late December while he was attempting to tie a barge to a piling and slipped. Gary Northcott of Summerland, B.C., was pinned between the piling and the vessel and suffered a fractured skull and broken back.

That accident remains under investigation by OSHA.

Seattle Times staff reporters Manny Gonzales and Thomas Lee contributed to this report.

Anne Koch's number is 206-464-3303. Her e-mail is akoch@seattletimes.com