FEBRUARY 19, 2015
SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN
A massive, century-old bridge crane being prepared for
demolition collapsed prematurely Thursday, February 19, 2015 at an industrial
site in Superior, Wisconsin sending two workers to the hospital. The two men were released from the hospital on
Thursday, night, February 20, 2015,
since they suffered only minor injuries.
The accident happened at the Graymont lime plant, on the
waterfront near U.S. Highways 2 and 53, at about 3:45 p.m. as two demolition
workers were up on the crane preparing stress points to ensure it collapsed
properly, said Superior Deputy Police Chief Matt Markon. The crane was set to
be demolished on Sunday.
The workers had just cut a copper bus bar, part of the
electrical service to the crane, when the structure collapsed, authorities
said.
Superior Fire Chief Steve Panger said firefighters rescued
one worker who was dangling from a lift by his safety harness. A second man who
had been up on a separate lift was already on the ground by the time
firefighters arrived. Markon said the man fell an estimated 75 feet when the
bridge collapsed. Height is disputed by the plant manager. The issue will be of course as to why the second worker was not wearing his fall protection harness as is required by OSHA regulations.
Both men were conscious and walking around, Panger said, and
they were taken to St. Luke’s hospital for evaluation.
“We don’t know the extent of their injuries,” Panger said.
Graymont’s website says the Superior plant brings in limestone
by freighter, from quarries in Michigan, and processes it several kinds of
calcined lime products, as well as finely ground limestone. The bridge crane had been used to pick up raw
material on the site and transport it to be processed in kilns. The bridge crane was more than 100 years old.
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FEBRUARY 20, 2015
The two workers involved in a bridge crane collapse at the
Graymont lime plant in Superior on Thursday were healthy and back on the site
Friday, taking part in an incident investigation, plant manager Phil Marquis
said.
The gentlemen are fine; there were no injuries found and
they were released (from the hospital) last night," Marquis said.
The two men were working at the waterfront plant as
contractors for Rachel Contracting of St. Michael, Minn. The more-than-100-year-old bridge crane had
been set to be demolished Sunday.
"We had planned to have a controlled demolition of the
bridge and those contractors were working their engineered plan," Marquis
said. "Unfortunately, it collapsed while they were doing the work. We're
grateful they weren't injured and were able to walk away from the site."
Marquis disputed a report from emergency responders that one
of the men fell 75 feet, saying, "How far he fell I don't want to guess,
but it was not 75 feet."
The other man was left dangling from a lift by his safety
harness after the collapse. The Superior Fire and Police departments responded
to the scene and brought that worker to the ground.
Marquis said the Mine Safety and Health Administration is
leading the investigation into the collapse. The crane had been out of service
since May 2014.
Graymont's website said the Superior plant brings in
limestone by freighter, from quarries in Michigan, and processes it several
ways. The bridge crane had been used to pick up raw material on the site and
transport it to be processed in kilns. Finished products are shipped out by
truck and rail.
Now that the bridge crane is down, Marquis said there will
be a new plan developed to start removing the steel.