Jesus Take The Wheel: Missing Woman’s Body Found In Ventilation Duct

Jesus … the wheel awaits.

A 26-year-old woman who was reported missing a month ago was trying to enter a downtown restaurant through its ventilation system when she became trapped and died, police said.

Jamie Minor, 26, was identified Monday as the person discovered inside ductwork leading into Perry’s Steakhouse between the first and second floors of the building at 114 W. Seventh St . Police Cmdr. Julie O’Brien said medical examiners are working to determine Minor’s exact cause of death and that police do not believe foul play was involved.

“This appears to be an incredibly tragic accidental death,” O’Brien said.

At a news conference Monday, O’Brien said Minor showed up for work May 23 as a hostess at the Trace restaurant at the W Austin Hotel. But her co-workers and supervisors became concerned because she was acting “erratically,” O’Brien said.

They arranged for someone to pick her up at 10 p.m., O’Brien said, but at some point Minor left the area. It would be the last time anyone saw her, O’Brien said.

O’Brien said police believe Minor left the hotel and walked to Seventh Street . Surveillance camera footage from the building shows that Minor tried to get into Perry’s Steakhouse, where she once was employed, through a side door. She then tried to enter through a door in the parking garage about 9 p.m. O’Brien said she did not know why Minor did not enter from the front door.

“What we believe for reasons we don’t quite understand yet \u2026 is that Jamie entered the parking garage, went to the third floor and forced entry into the duct system, attempting to get into the restaurant that was located on the ground floor because she had a friend who worked there,” O’Brien said.

The ductwork zigged and zagged inside the building, O’Brien said, and Minor became trapped in an area she wasn’t tall enough to get out of and couldn’t move forward or back from.

“That area is located in a part of the building where it’s not readily accessible to anyone, so noises from inside the ductwork couldn’t be heard,” O’Brien said.

On June 2, O’Brien said, maintenance workers found personal items belonging to Minor near an exhaust vent grate on the top floor of a parking garage attached to the Norwood Tower building, where the restaurant is located on the first floor. On June 7, Minor’s family in Bee Cave filed a missing person report with their police department. Minor’s sister Kaylan Minor filed a missing person report with Austin police June 20 , O’Brien said.

On Saturday, homicide detectives, city crews and Austin firefighters broke into the ductwork at the second floor of the garage, and they found an “obviously deceased person” between the first and second floors, O’Brien said.

Detectives are asking anyone who saw Minor that night to call police, O’Brien said.

“I am just heartbroken she made the choices she did,” said Minor’s mother, Pamela Minor, a 59-year-old natural foods sales worker. “I am very saddened she couldn’t get to safety. She probably became frantic. I am very saddened by the suffering she went through.”

“I am just heartbroken she made the choices she did,” said Minor’s mother, Pamela Minor, a 59-year-old natural foods sales worker. “I am very saddened she couldn’t get to safety. She probably became frantic. I am very saddened by the suffering she went through.”

About three months ago, despite her parents’ concerns and objections, Minor was hired as a hostess at the restaurant, her mother said. Her parents worried that Jamie, who did not have her own transportation and a place to stay downtown, would be overwhelmed with a 40-hour workweek.

Pamela Minor said her daughter had been struggling with mental illness, including bipolar disorder, since her early 20s. But Jamie Minor was resolute.

“But that was Jamie; she was determined to make it work,” Pamela Minor said.

Hmm, wonder why no one thought to check the ducts when they found her personal items so close by. SMH … R.I.P.

hvacr exhibition 2010

The Air-conditioning technology was in use in Pakistan since 1947 at the time of its independence. It was a period when local expertise was developing only upon the supply and installation of imported equipment in accordance with the system designs prepared abroad.

Our engineers, technicians, architects and entrepreneurs soon recognized the importance of this field and they became active in developing the expertise in consultancy, installation, commissioning, operating, maintaining, and manufacturing. It can be claimed now proudly, that the current state of technology in Pakistan is such that we can take pride in some of our experts having the knowledge and expertise second to none in the world.

Having recognized the facts that the state of Pakistan HVACR technology has reached a stage where it requires a concerted efforts at collective levels to keep pace with the global development of technology.

HVACR community rose to the occasion and formed a society under the name and style of “Pakistan HVACR Society” in 1995. Since then, the Society started organizing various disciplines of the field under its umbrella.

HVACR History

Before formation of Pakistan HVACR Society no doubt, HVACR activities were present in the Country, but were not so organized. Technical expertise were scattered and a uniform platform was very much required to bring together all disciplines of the HVACR and to promote its activities.

The idea of this Society was derived for the first time in 1993, which was implemented and put into practice. At that time, National Institute of Technical Education, Ministry of Education desired to hold a National Conference/ workshop on Air conditioning and Refrigeration Technology. In June 1993, they approached leading manufacturers, contractors, engineers and consultants associated with HVACR field. The idea was to help them. This objective appealed to all organizations associated with HVACR field and full support was extended to NITE. By mutual discussion, the scope was extended to simultaneously hold an exhibition of HVACR products and conference on October 23-24, 1993 at National Technical Teachers Training College Islamabad.

This event was a great success. The conference provided an opportunity to all delegates including leading personalities associated with HVACR field to discuss the possibility of establishing a Society to look after the promotion of HVACR activities in the country. Subsequently several meetings were held in Islamabad, Lahore & Karachi and were attended by delegates from almost all the major industrial towns of Pakistan.

In June 1994, a meeting was held in Karachi under the chairmanship of Mr. Anwar Saddat whereby it was decided to establish a society to promote the interests of HVACR field in the country.

At that time, Pakistan HVACR Society was passing through its initial stage. Working procedures had to be laid down, various disciplines were to be made and functional outlines had to determined and finalized. It was very rightly visualized that once these matters are settled and its Bylaws are made up this organization would be in a much better position to be of an effective help and support to its members.

To start from very initial stage of square zero to this level, is indeed a great achievement and all those who did this difficult task really deserve solute for their work. It goes without saying that HVACR activities have tremendously progressed under the umbrella of the Society. No doubt, the foundation stone has been laid down and first step taken in the right and positive direction but still it has to go a long way ahead and much more has to be done for the progress, prosperity and betterment of this field. On the one hand, this organization will serve the profession and the field both through the experience & expertise of the professional elders and on the other hand, it will also immensely help the end users, manufacturers and all others related to this profession and trade.

It’s worth mentioning here that despite all these constraints, the Society has successfully conducted ten exhibitions, which is a significant feather in the cap of Society. The keen interest shown both by the business community and public at large is very healthy sign, which exhibits a bright future of the Society. Being a representative body, well-organized and informative institution, it may be of tremendous help to its members and others concerned with HVACR field.

At this stage, Pakistan HVACR Society has built up different forums and various committees at all levels. The Society goes in to elections after every two years and different bodies are elected to look after the affairs of the Society. The most effective and powerful & elected body is Executive Council at Head Quarter level. This body is headed by a President and meets after every two months. The Executive Council is supported by three chapters presently operating at Islamabad, Lahore & Karachi. The Executive Council comprises of 15 members; Senior Vice President, Vice President, Hon. General Secretary, Hon Finance Secretary, Media Secretary, Publication Secretary and eight council members. They all are working on volunteer basis with no personal motives and devoting their time, energy, experience, skill and expertise for the cause of promotion of HVACR in Pakistan. The decisions so taken are executed at branch levels known as Chapters. Similarly, Chapter Council is also elected and is headed by Chapter Chairman. Moreover Society has its principal office know as Society Head Quarter at Islamabad.

The Pakistan HVACR Society has no doubt, covered a long distance in relatively shorter period of time and that is just in 10 years. Within a span of less than a decade, the Society has bagged tremendous achievements towards attainment of its objectives.

Just have a glance:

* A decade full of life.
* A decade of development.
* A decade of achievements.
* A decade of recognition and acceptance.
* A big history in a relatively shorter period of time.

The sphere of acceptance and recognition of Pakistan HVACR Society has even crossed the Territorial Boundaries of Pakistan. In 1997, a year of land mark when society made another big achievement by obtaining AFFILIATION with the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) which is no doubt the largest institution of its kind in the world.

Eventually Pakistan HVACR Society has succeeded in opening of 1st ever ASHRAE Chapter in Pakistan; another feather in its cap. This has become possible due to dedicated interest, prolonged and hectic efforts of Society’s management in particular Society’s President Mr. Fahim I. Siddiqui, who has always been instrumental and looking for the possibilities of improvements and betterment of the society, both internally and externally.

The Pakistan HVACR Society has successfully conducted 16 Exhibitions in major cities of Pakistan; Islamabad, Lahore & Karachi. The interest shown by the industrial sector, Businessmen Groups and all concerned with the HVACR activities, is definitely a healthy and encouraging sign for the progress, prosperity and Technological Advancement of the country. In fact HVACR technology no doubt, is a basic technology and is almost required everywhere in Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Sector. It gives a great infrastructural support to the Industrial Growth for instance Pharmaceutical, Textile, Transport and low temperature applications etc.

At the moment, topic of the town is “17th Expo and Conference” Remarkable Event unique of its kind ever conducted in Karachi, the biggest city of Pakistan. A unique Industrial Exhibition is scheduled in Convention Centre Islamabad. The time selected for this occasion is March 19 ~ 21, 2009, no doubt the most beautiful and enjoyable weather, the springtime in a city. Similarly Pakistan HVACR Society also arranging its next exhibition at Karachi in March 19 ~ 21, 2010; the most enjoyable weather in the historical and cultural city of Pakistan.

The leading and prominent Businessmen, Industrial Groups and Representatives of foreign manufacturers have almost got booked all the stalls. Simultaneously an annual conference is also being arranged where persons equipped with technical expertise, vast knowledge, valuable experience of years and years and latest research and innovations at their credit, would apprise the participants and public at large. This conference will be followed by General Body Meeting, where strategic planning will be carried out for the years to come and decisions of immense and prime importance would be taken.

To commemorate this remarkable event of 17th Expo & Conference a very comprehensive plan have been chalked out covering the commercial, economical & technical aspect of this unique event followed by a great grant fare well dinner & Musical / Social Function.

This well-organized & planned event will be remembered by the people for a long time to come when Pakistan HVACR Society arranges its next Expo & Conference, in Karachi in March 2010.

The Pakistan HVACR Society is pleased to appraise its honourable viewers on the events and programs pertaining to the 17th Expo & Conference Scheduled in March 19-21, 2010.
Description

Exhibitions are one of the most effective tool of trade Promotion. Leading trade centres of the world provide permanent exhibition facilities to encourage buyer-seller interaction. Karachi Expo Centre is located in the commercial Capital of Pakistan. It has a distinction of being in the back yard of CAR countries, accessible to middle east and a gate way to other Asian Countries. Karachi being cosmopolitan, adds flavour for international marketing geopolitically. Karachi Expo Centre is equipped with modern facilities based on international standards creating a market and a world of its own. It comprises of three independent linked halls measuring 6690 Sq.m base area. Two halls contain mezzanine floor measuring 445 Sq.m each, while the third hall has a space of 1270 Sq.m on its two mezzanine floors. Congress centre houses the press, secretarial services, a large modern kitchen and a cafeteria on its first floor. The second floor is available for conferences/seminars for a sizeable gathering. The whole complex is centrally air-conditioned. Adequate warehousing and parking facilities are also available.