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Former coach Bill O’Brien ‘couldn’t be more proud’ of Penn State players, coaches

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Date changed for release of PennEast Pipeline’s final Environmental Impact Study

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; The city&#8217;s fire department has been on duty around-the-clock at the downtown Intermodal Center since last week when the alarm system failed.</p><p>Mayor Tony George said the stationing of vehicles and firefighters there is just a precaution.</p><p>&#8220;They can&#8217;t get to us, so we have to have a fire watch,&#8221; George said Monday.</p><p>The system went down Wednesday afternoon at the city-owned James F. Conahan Intermodal Transportation Center located on South Washington Street behind Public Square. Repairs have yet to be completed and the watch continues at the steel and reinforced concrete structure that serves as a hub for Luzerne County Transportation Authority and Martz Trailways buses on the ground level and contains a five-deck parking garage.</p><p>The structure won&#8217;t burn, but a bus or a vehicle parked in the garage could catch fire, someone could get stuck in the elevators or there could be a emergency requiring first responders, the mayor said.</p><p>The watch isn&#8217;t costing the city overtime, George said, adding firefighters have been working their regular shifts.</p><p>Deputy Fire Chief Alan Klapat said the firefighters are acting as the alarm until the system is working again. The problem hasn&#8217;t affected nearby buildings.</p><p>&#8220;The alarm in Provincial Towers is operable,&#8221; Klapat said of the 12-story office and apartment complex next to the center.</p><p>The center, built at a cost of more than $28 million, opened in 2010. It&#8217;s not been problem free, however.</p><p>An LCTA bus backing up from its parking stall struck killed an 86-year-old man in 2011. The death led to a lawsuit against the city, the LCTA and Pennoni Associates, the engineering firm that designed the center. The city and LCTA settled out of court, but a Luzerne County jury found Pennoni negligent in its design and partly responsible for the man&#8217;s death.</p><p>Earlier this month the city filed suit against Pennoni for alleged breach of contract related to cost overruns and flawed design that led to the man&#8217;s death five years ago.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">The alarm system in the James F. Conahan Intermodal Transportation Center has been down since last week and on Monday afternoon the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department continued its around-the-clock fire watch with personnel and equipment until the problem is fixed. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL112916Fire1.jpg</photo0><caption0>The alarm system in the James F. Conahan Intermodal Transportation Center has been down since last week and on Monday afternoon the Wilkes-Barre Fire Department continued its around-the-clock fire watch with personnel and equipment until the problem is fixed. </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Jerry Lynott</p><p>jlynott@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Fire watch in effect at Wilkes-Barre Intermodal Center until alarm system fixed