Records Show Lights Were To Be Removed Before Bricktown Canal Tragedy

Lawsuits are expected after a man was electrocuted when a light pole or bollard gave way along the Bricktown Canal in Oklahoma City last month.

Wesley Seeley, 23, fell into the water in front of Brickopolis and died September 30.

According to maintenance records from April 2018, Brickopolis requested to have the bollards in front of its business removed.

When News 9 requested the maintenance records for bollards along the canal, the City produced a list of 160-plus work orders that were filed going back to 2014.

The paid invoices revealed some description of the work done.

One from April 23, 2018, just over five months before Seeley's death, showed electricians, "began removing bollards as proposed."

The invoice goes on to say the, “manager of Brickopolis requested we leave the bollards.”  According to the invoice, it appears that one bollard was removed but was reinstalled.

An OKC spokesperson confirmed with News 9, the owner of Brickopolis asked for the bollards to be removed for added space along the canal. When crews started removing them in April, the owner called it off.

The owner of Brickopolis hasn't returned News 9 calls for comment.

No lawsuits have been filed, but due to pending litigation, the City says it can no longer comment on the lights along the Bricktown Canal.

Read Also: Attorney Says Bricktown Canal Shock Victim Will Likely Sue

OKC Park Director Doug Kupper told News 9, after the accident an electrical engineer would be brought in to find a safe solution for the lights

On Monday, October 22, two people from a local engineering firm were seen taking measurements along the canal.