The City of Vancouver says it’ll be at least another two weeks before a crane that fell in the Dunbar area will be removed from the road.
On Tuesday, Aug. 6, a fire in a six-storey wood-frame building under construction in the neighbourhood led to the collapse of a nearby crane across West 41st Avenue. During the collapse, the crane took down power lines and trolley wires. It also caused a gas line to rupture and catch fire, which crews were able to get under control.
In a statement to CityNews Thursday, the city said the crane “will not be moved from its current location for at least two weeks.”
It says that prediction is due to the complexity of planning, equipment, and qualified workers required to do it safely.
“Part of the complexity is that the crane is currently structurally sound; however, as crews begin dismantling it, the balance of weight may shift, potentially creating instability. We are working with relevant partners to ensure a thorough and careful plan is in place to maintain safety throughout the process,” the city said, adding that the crane is the responsibility of the site owner and their contractors.
“Once the crane is removed, the site owner is fully responsible for the cleanup of any debris. While the city is not responsible for the cleanup, we will coordinate with Sightline Properties to ensure the neighbourhood is informed of upcoming work.”
On Saturday, the city said it was examining how best to dismantle the crane, with an outlook of two to three weeks for the operation.
Chief Building Official Saul Schwebs told 1130 NewsRadio that after the crane is removed, there will still be more work to complete the cleanup.
Miranda Myles with the City of Vancouver’s Emergency Management department said that in the meantime, there would be some closures in the area.
“There’s fencing up in place now, so that will help keep people in the right places,” she said Saturday.
“We also want to ensure that the businesses that are here nearby are also able to be accessed.”
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While no one was injured, impacts from the fire and road closures have been significant. Some homes were damaged by the crane and debris, while some businesses had to close for several days due to the fire and subsequent cleanup. Local business owners reported their phone lines and internet being disrupted, adding sales and foot traffic have suffered in the days since.
“[I’ve been] affected 100 per cent in my business, there’s no customers coming in,” Ajuna Reddy, owner of a dry-cleaning service along 41st Avenue, told CityNews Saturday.
“And how are we going to pay for the rent? How are we going to pay for the tax, and all the electric bills, and everything?”
On Friday, Aug. 9, most evacuees were cleared to return to their homes.
—With files from Raynaldo Suarez and Joe Sadowski