Crane Collapse in Kelowna, BC, Canada 1

[dik]

VANCOUVER -- The crane collapse that forced an area of downtown Kelowna, B.C., to be evacuated on Monday morning has left multiple people dead, according to authorities.

The accident, which damaged several buildings in the area of Bernard Avenue and St. Paul Street, has also prompted officials to declare a local state of emergency in the Okanagan city.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene in which workers tried to get out of harm's way as the crane was coming down.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/multiple-fata...es-at-kelowna-b-c-construction-site-1.5506124

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[dik]

Update:
VANCOUVER -- Mounties say at least four people have died as a result of a crane collapse in Kelowna, B.C., on Monday.

In a news conference the next day, Kelowna RCMP Insp. Adam MacIntosh said a fifth person is also believed to have died in the collapse, but his remains have not yet been recovered.

Of the four people known to have died, three died at the site and one was hospitalized, but did not survive.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[Enable]

Any thoughts on what happened dik? Looks like the overall tower is a bit worse for wear but that could be due to the top falling off. Looks like the failure is localized to a truss near the roof line. Damaged member not caught during inspection maybe?

 

[waross]

Bill
--------------------
Ohm's law
Not just a good idea;
It's the LAW!

 

[dik]

I'm not sure... but, I think they were dismantling it.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[RedSnake]

The crane was being dismounted, and it was the beam fell down.
There must have been a support at the top too against the building maybe it was pulled down with the beam.

/A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein

 

[waross]

When they removed the boom, the back section with the winches and counter weight may have pivoted down and hit the tower.
I was on one of my first industrial jobs many years ago when two men died that way as a crane was being dismantled.

Bill
--------------------
Ohm's law
Not just a good idea;
It's the LAW!

 

[FacEngrPE]

Disassembly of a tower crane is a slow methodical process. These videos show what the process is supposed to be.

14:47
Tower crane disassembly Day 1 of 4: Removal of top segment

https://youtu.be/Nww6MN_Lxeo?list=PLVG3-xIaXtKzFmT1ahYHc4lbkD_VjeA6a

16:47
Tower crane disassembly Day 2 of 4: Counterweights, jib, trolley, hoist unit

https://youtu.be/xPQpNrhizqU?list=PLVG3-xIaXtKzFmT1ahYHc4lbkD_VjeA6a

13:38
Tower crane disassembly Day 3 of 4: Counter jib, tower top, slewing assembly

https://youtu.be/yzP9h_4Kh_U?list=PLVG3-xIaXtKzFmT1ahYHc4lbkD_VjeA6a

13:26
Tower crane disassembly Day 4 of 4: Remaining tower sections, climbing frame, tie-in

https://youtu.be/Urhnzm1PMUM?list=PLVG3-xIaXtKzFmT1ahYHc4lbkD_VjeA6a

 

[LionelHutz]

Some part of it came down between the tower and building and landed on the upper tie in knocking it down the tower before falling off and ending on the ground.

The article mentioned working scrambling to rescue the operator. Any pictures where the operator cab ended?

I didn't see a large enough portable crane to reach the top, so if they were disassembling it then I expect they were in the process of lowering it by removing tower sections. Possibly had it balanced wrong during the process?

 

[NorthCivil]

Would there need to be an engineer at site to witness/guide/approve of the disassembly as it is happening? I am not familiar with this particular industry in BC but would expect this to be the case.

 

[dik]

Not that I'm aware of... but, might depend on the jurisdiction.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[dik]

an article from On Site

https://www.on-sitemag.com/health-s...um=email&utm_campaign=&*URLENCODE({{*JobID}})

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[waross]

In Canada, if it can be shown that management was derelict in implementing and enforcing safety rules and regulations, manager may be held criminally responsible.
Some years back, a lumber company had a lumber mill explode due to high concentrations of fine sawdust in the air.
A few years later, they lost another sawmill, with the loss of life, due to a similar dust explosion.
Management should have been criminally prosecuted, but the evidence had been compromised by recovery efforts and an obvious case could not be proven in a court of law..
It is good to see the Royal Canadian (dis)Mounted Police on scene and treating the site as a crime scene.

Bill
--------------------
Ohm's law
Not just a good idea;
It's the LAW!

 

[Brad805]

For local Kelowna news I suggest castanet. Link

The tower crane design, inspection, install, and removal would have been governed by clause 14 of Worksafe BC. Link Worksafe BC has sent a squadron of their engineers to the site, so I expect there will be a report from them at some point.

 

[dik]

thanks for the post, Brad...

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[FacEngrPE]

AvE attributes the accident to management failure, which is not unreasonable. Includes some videos I have not seen previously.
Kelowna crane collapse explained Jul 13, 2021, AvE

 

[waross]

The only new information i saw was that some men were working without proper PPE.
That does indicate an unprofessional crew and very lax management, but I couldn't see any information as to the specific cause of the failure.
Also, the number of F-bombs dropped does not enhance the professionalism of the narrators.

Bill
--------------------
Ohm's law
Not just a good idea;
It's the LAW!

 

[FacEngrPE]

I was not pleased about the F-bombs either, that is also unprofessional, but all too frequent. Personally I have never found F-Bombs to enhance communication.

The lack of professionalism indicated by the lack of PPE indicates to me that the root cause may turn out to be a leadership failure, as crews often follow the example set before them.

 

[Eufalconimorph]

It's worth considering the audience of an entertainer like AvE. He's not making that video as a technical report, he's making it to entertain his Youtube audience. He's basing his conclusions on his experience in the mining industry (and possibly others). His outrage at needless death is allowed to show through in a way that's not "professional" for a regulator but is appropriate for getting an audience to be similarly outraged. The F-bombs probably help if you think of the goal as being to get viewers emotional enough to demand change, rather than to provide a "just the facts" technical report.

 

[dik]

more news...

https://www.on-sitemag.com/health-s...um=email&utm_campaign=&*URLENCODE({{*JobID}})

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik