City says collapsed crane on Vancouver’s W 41st Ave. has been removed
Posted August 28, 2024 9:05 pm.
Last Updated August 29, 2024 4:25 pm.
The City of Vancouver says a collapsed construction crane on West 41st Avenue has been removed but the area is still feeling the impact of the incident.
On Aug. 6, a fire in a six-storey wood-frame building under construction led to the collapse of a nearby crane across the major roadway. During the collapse, the crane took down power lines and trolley wires and also caused a gas line to rupture and catch fire.
In an update Wednesday, the city says the crane removal started on Wednesday, Aug. 21 and was completed on Tuesday, Aug. 27, but repairs to the “roads, sidewalks, bus landing areas, curbs, and gutters on W 41st Ave are underway” and “damaged poles and traffic signal infrastructure are being fixed.”
It asks the public to respect any barriers and instructions that crews have put up in the area.
“All businesses along W 41st can be accessed. We’ve added signage in the area to help direct patrons,” it said.
On its website, the city says the process after the fire is “complex and involves multiple steps, equipment, qualified workers, regulations, and safety considerations.”
It says the work is a joint effort between the city, the property owner, contractors, and other organizations such as WorkSafeBC.
“Our goal is to minimize the impact on residents and traffic and complete the restoration work as fast as safely possible,” it said.
The city expects repair work to continue into September but expects West 41st Avenue to reopen around the first week of September.
-With files from Charles Brockman.
