Hot Crane

[Hank R]

Highway 3 west of Osoyoos is closed in both directions Saturday as crews work to remove two cranes that have been there for weeks.

A Maurer Cranes rig caught fire at the base of Richter Mountain, about 21 kilometres west of Osoyoos, on Aug. 11. The fire spread up the hill, growing to about 26 hectares in size before fire crews were able to get it under control.

A second crane that was sent to the scene to help remove the burned out shell of the first crane appears to have been damaged in the process, and both cranes have remained at the scene for weeks.

DriveBC says crews will be at the scene of the fire, near Sumac Road, removing the two cranes all day Saturday. The recovery efforts have forced the closure of Highway 3 in both directions, and work is expected to continue through to 9 p.m.

Those looking to detour around the closure can use Highway 3A, between Keremeos and Kaleden.

 

[skyking1]

From that angle, they were lucky to have not taken down those lines next to the road.

 

[Truck Shop]

Mountain goats still there? Use to find them standing along side the road.

 

[Hank R]

Yes they are.

 

[Hank R]

Now for the rest of the story or real part. I talked to the Head man on this recovery from GWIL cranes this morning. a 80 ton and a 300 ton cranes were used on this job. They had the road closed for 16 hrs to do the recovery. The first crane the was in the ditch and burnt up the driver fell asleep or?? with his foot to the metal, and that is what started the fire. The boom was cut up into smaller pieces then removed. both cranes were used to lift and lode out the rest to a trailer and hauled to a ICBC yard for the insurance company to look at and sell for scrap, the man I talked to said that he does not understand there thoughts as some one has to unload in a wreck storage yard then sold for less than crane costs to unload. Now interesting thing is the operator of first crane, a few days later returned to accident site with the big crane and wrecked it as well. Damaged boom was cut off and hose turned around and unit then driven to Penticton to Maurer's yard. Liebherr is looking for used boom section that was damaged and are hoping to be back in the crane business in 4 or 5 months.

 

[Hank R]

There may be a new Greeter at the Wal-Mart store as some one is looking for a new job. I seen a few pictures but the man was not allowed sent to me ...

 

[DMiller]

Gonna take more than one or two sections and a Squirt Cylinder on Crane 2, the Pop it gave the chassis was enough to lift it off the outrigger mats, be damned if I would sign off a crane inspect on that one without crapping myself.

 

[Hank R]

Gonna take more than one or two sections and a Squirt Cylinder on Crane 2, the Pop it gave the chassis was enough to lift it off the outrigger mats, be damned if I would sign off a crane inspect on that one without crapping myself.

I agree with you , I was just listening to what I was told. Can not guess what this mess has cost$$$$$$

 

[Truck Shop]

They will have a new insurance carrier after full investigation.

 

[crane operator]

Thanks for the update Hank. Glad the road is clear and no one was injured.

 

[Natman]

I was driving up the mountain road the other day I happen to live on to do a truss job, 12% grade so not slowing down for anyone or anything. Three guys were sitting on the shoulder, no rig visible, odd...., as I went by them I made eye contact and somethingseemed a bit off, if I was in my Prius (don't laugh) I would have stopped and asked what was going on? Then I saw it, a big box truck for an insulation company. the weird thing was it was pointed uphill, and well before the switchbacks, I've driven this ski area road for 40+ years and this made no sense, short of just total inattention. Wasn't until later that I thought that when they saw me they probably thought I was the wrecker service, if I had had time I would have came back and watched the big wrecker in action.

 

[Natman]

Guess I didn't make it clear, the box truck was way off the road and almost tipped sideways, in the trees. I have since noticed two large divots in the asphalt, from the heavy tow truck's stabilizers I'm guessing.

 

[skyking1]

I was driving up the mountain road the other day I happen to live on to do a truss job, 12% grade so not slowing down for anyone or anything. Three guys were sitting on the shoulder, no rig visible, odd...., as I went by them I made eye contact and somethingseemed a bit off, if I was in my Prius (don't laugh) I would have stopped and asked what was going on? Then I saw it, a big box truck for an insulation company. the weird thing was it was pointed uphill, and well before the switchbacks, I've driven this ski area road for 40+ years and this made no sense, short of just total inattention. Wasn't until later that I thought that when they saw me they probably thought I was the wrecker service, if I had had time I would have came back and watched the big wrecker in action.

i posted a rolled over crane earlier from similar inattention, going uphill on gravel.

 

[Truck Shop]

if it's got wheels it can be wrecked-just put a human behind the wheel.

 

[CraneMechanic73]

For faster results add one operator…..lol