A 200-tonne crane from A.W. Leil is in pieces after an accident during demolition of the Sissiboo River train bridge - 2 Feb 2012 Jonathan Riley.

2 February 2012

Sissiboo Bridge Demolition Falls Apart

Sissiboo River Nova Scotia - Crews working on the Sissiboo River bridge avoided serious injury this morning when a 55-tonne span of the former railway bridge came down faster than expected.
 

The accident happened about 5:30 a.m. on the Sissiboo River - 2 Feb 2012 Rick Jacques.
 
 

A 200-tonne crane (red) lies on top of a span of the Sissiboo River Bridge on a barge near Weymouth - 2 Feb 2012 Rick Jacques.
 
 
Workers with A.W. Leil Cranes of Dartmouth were using a 200-tonne crane on a barge operated by the main contractors, R.J. McIsaac of Antigonish to lower the steel span about 5:30 a.m. Thursday, 2 Feb 2012.
 
The span was most of the way down, hanging about 20 feet in the air. The barge, with the crane on it, was slowly backing away from the bridge when everything fell apart.
 
A corner of the span is lying on the end of the barge and the crane's boom is lying crumpled over the barge and other equipment. The crane's cab was torn clear off.
 
Approximately four men, including the crane operator, were believed to be working on the barge at the time of the accident and they all escaped with only some minor injuries.
 
Rick Jacques, trails coordinator, says the exact cause of the collapse is under investigation and no one is yet certain if the crane collapsed or the barge lifted.
 
The demolition crew had successfully lowered a similar span the day before and delivered it to shore without a hitch.
 
Jacques says the focus now is on investigating the accident and then cleaning up the mess.
 
"And then it is back to the drawing board."
 
Jonathan Riley.