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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Dam worker dies in fall near Ephrata

Holger “Hal” Jensen, 62, worked for Bureau of Reclamation

From staff reports
A 62-year-old Bureau of Reclamations employee died Wednesday of head injuries sustained during a fall at Pinto Dam near Ephrata, according to a news release. Holger “Hal” Jensen fell about 35 feet to the concrete at the facility, which forms Billy Clapp Lake in eastern Grant County. According to the Bureau, Jensen, a civil engineer, was examining construction at the dam that would enable the storage of more water when he fell. A graduate of Washington State University in 1983, Jensen previously served with the Bureau before obtaining his degree in civil engineering and taking a job with a consulting firm in Everett, according to a news release. Jensen then moved to Idaho, and rejoined the Bureau in 2011. In a statement, Lorri Lee, regional director of the Bureau in the Pacific Northwest, called the incident “heartbreaking.” “Our thoughts and prayers go out to Hal’s family as they face such sadness especially at this time of year,” Lee said. Jensen was being treated at Sacred Heart Medical Center, according to the release. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was informed of the incident, and the Bureau is investigating the fall as an accident.