{"id":56082,"date":"2020-12-15T23:36:23","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T23:36:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/12\/15\/blumenthal-seeks-probe-amid-whistleblower-claims-at-va-facility-where-2-workers-died-in-accident\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T09:57:58","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T09:57:58","slug":"blumenthal-seeks-probe-amid-whistleblower-claims-at-va-facility-where-2-workers-died-in-accident","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/2020\/12\/15\/blumenthal-seeks-probe-amid-whistleblower-claims-at-va-facility-where-2-workers-died-in-accident\/","title":{"rendered":"Blumenthal seeks probe amid whistleblower claims at VA facility where 2 workers died in accident"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Connecticut U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Tuesday he\u2019s seeking an investigation by the Veterans\u2019 Administration Office of the Inspector General into alleged unsafe working conditions at the West Haven VA hospital, where two workers were killed<\/a> last month by the rapid release of hot water vapor during maintenance work on the facility\u2019s steam system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Democrat told reporters he recently received 75 pages of documents from two whistleblowers that include \u201cpowerful evidence that complaints of unsafe conditions were either disregarded or dismissed,\u201d including more than one complaint raised by one of the men who died in the Nov. 13 accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese whistleblower complaints<\/a> are so deeply concerning and searing as potential evidence of a failure to respond to legitimate complaints about unsafe work,\u201d Blumenthal said. \u201cI am heartbroken that such unsafe working conditions may have contributed to the explosion that caused the deaths of these two dedicated workers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t