“I heard something snap,” he said later. The engineer at Antenna Engineering refused to approve, or even review, the design. A few weeks before the incident, Riggers approached Antenna Engineering and asked if it was possible to remove the microwave baskets on the top 100-foot section of the tower so they could lift the antenna into position. -- A worker has died after a TV tower … I just put my gear down rather hastily and got out of the way.” Because the collapse was caught on camera, the film has provided engineers and scientists the opportunity to closely examine the event. In my work as a Commissioning Engineer I often have to make a decision of correcting a design error in the field or pushing to have the design firm correct the error and resubmit construction drawings. Antenna Engineering should have required Riggers to have a 3rd party Professional Engineer design the modification and submit the procedure for review to Antenna. Marshal for "uninformed" statement on shooting. To do less is irresponsible. Their mistake was failing to refuse to work until a viable rigging scheme was submitted. Bulldozer operator sent running when water tower collapses near his vehicle. I believe that Antenna Engineers should have reviewed the erection procedure. Then a main cable broke in early November, leading the National Science Foundation to declare just weeks later that it planned to close the radio telescope because the damage was too great. The collapse occurred about 10:30 A.M. on Saturday. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Police were investing the collapse of a radio communication tower late Sunday night or early Monday morning in Contra Costa County that may be the work of vandals. The antenna was designed and manufactured by Antenna Engineering, Inc., a moderately-sized local firm. 0:51. Masts are often named after the broadcasting organizations that originally built them or currently use them. This disaster would not likely have happened if Antenna Engineering had accounted for constructability considerations in their original design. In my projects I am always thinking of how something can be built or serviced, how others might mess up, and how my design can mitigate or avoid mistakes by others. It was the second tallest structure ever built, being surpassed as the tallest by the Burj Khalifa tower in the United Arab Emirates, completed in 2009. Monday quarterback aside, the Rigger Company should have retained a structural PE to design the lifting system and components. Just because the antenna engineers are engineers and probably capable of doing the constructability analysis does not make it their responsibility any more than a chiller manufacturer’s engineer for their product makes them responsible for the installation of the chiller after it leaves the factory. A broadcasting tower in the Dutch town of Hoogersmilde has collapsed. pic.twitter.com/stJScy2Old. The collapse was not unexpected: Following two cable breaks in August and November, experts determined that the radio telescope was so structurally unsound that it had to be decommissioned. Completed in 1963, the Arecibo Observatory was the largest single-dish radio telescope in the world until China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, or FAST, began operations in … A. see previous. Several riggers fell 1000 feet to their death. Road collapse near ancient bridge gives Florence that old sinking feeling. The second-largest radio telescope in the world collapsed on Tuesday morning. Report. I believe that attaching the microwave baskets created additional bending moments that could not be resisted by the bolts’ strength. To complete the construction, the crew would then use this crane to help mount the two-section antenna onto the top of the tower. The event is vivid and current in my mind despite being 38 years ago and evokes an emotional response even today. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. The Gerbrandy Tower is used for directional radio services and for FM- and TV-broadcasting. After the incident, an investigation found that when designing the makeshift lug extension, the rigging crew underestimated the load on the lugs by a factor of seven. The main collecting dish at Arecibo Observatory is among the world’s largest single-dish radio telescopes. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. When the final antenna sections arrived, the project had gone off without incident; however, the last section of the antenna was different because it had microwave baskets attached to its sides. Temporary construction is often a part of construction that has little or nothing to do with the final finished product. The tower legs were 8-inch diameter solid steel bars; each tower section weighed approximately 10,000 pounds. Search for "radio tower" in these categories. While they were skilled tradespeople, the employees of Riggers were not Professional Engineers. 107,444 radio tower stock photos, vectors, and illustrations are available royalty-free. It will take much longer for the dust to settle. Many scientists and Puerto Ricans mourned the news, with some tearing up during interviews. Browse more videos. The Senior Road Tower Project, a part of KTXH-TV, operated the tower and several radio stations. As Andy WOAK radio is off the air for FM listeners, due to a construction accident that resulted in the station’s radio tower to collapse. Forgive me but I must note that this story is just about totally incorrect save the collapse of the tower. Everyone was too trusting. A huge radio telescope in Puerto Rico that has long played a key role in astronomical discoveries collapsed on Tuesday, officials said. Road collapses near Queen's Scottish Castle . 7915 Cypress Creek Parkway, Suite 130, Houston, TX 77070. It was an incredible loss of life for a wonderful bunch of riggers who I knew personally and the ultimate demise of Worldwide. ", First published on December 1, 2020 / 8:34 AM. See radio tower stock video clips. While your description of the failure may be somewhat valid I recall the ultimate cause of the failure was a shackle connected to the load line and antenna. This example is a good reinforcement to push to have design errors corrected by the design firm and vetted through the entire process to avoid unilateral field changes that could lead to unintended consequences. : April 19, 2018 / 2:01 PM / CBS News FORDLAND, Mo. Without seeing contracts, the riggers were responsible for means and methods and were not prevented from hiring an engineer to check their rigging approach. I generally argue that if the design firm makes the correction, the correction goes through the design firm’s QA/QC process and then it comes back to me for review and implementation. This engineering mistake compounded the risk created by proceeding with the assembly of the last tower section even though the presence of microwave receivers made the intended assembly procedure impossible. The tower engineer should have approved the rigging designed or required that the riggers had the design reviewed and approved by a PE. If the engineers required that the antennas not be disturbed in the final piece then they were responsible for designing the change in erection procedures. The design called for a three-legged tower, and as each new section was lifted, it was positioned and bolted onto the previous tower sections. Four tower riggers were on the tower. Three others on the ground were injured. The Arecibo Observatory, made famous as the backdrop for a pivotal scene in the James Bond film "GoldenEye" and other Hollywood hits, had been shuttered since August after an auxiliary cable snapped and caused a 100-foot gash on the reflector dish. No injuries have been reported. While Riggers had seen and approved the initial plans drawn up by Antenna Engineering, they did not have the same technical expertise as the engineers at Antenna Engineering. On December 7, 1982, engineer Andy Hurdack was recording the installation of a new 1800-foot tower that would serve the airwaves of the surrounding areas of Missouri, Texas. The Arecibo Observatory's 900-ton platform, which sent and received radio waves and was suspended 450 feet (140 metres) in the air, crashed into the 1,000-foot-wide (300-metre-wide) disk below. For the good of the project, I regularly scan other parts of the project for things that “don’t look right”. The 1,000-foot-wide Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, before damage led to its collapse. Radio masts and towers are typically tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television.There are two main types: guyed and self-supporting structures. ", Amigos es con profundo pesar comunicarles que acaba de colapsar la plataforma del Observatorio de Arecibo. The Arecibo Observatory's 900-ton platform, which sent and received radio waves and was suspended 450 feet (140 metres) in the air, crashed into the 1,000-foot-wide (300-metre-wide) disk below. The erector of the tower was World Wide Tower (Dan Weberneck). The antenna was also “picked” by Worldwide utilizing ginpole which was secured and cantilevered to the top sections of the tower after being “jumped” there. Engineers were developing repair plans when one of the main 3-inch-wide cables attached to the same tower unexpectedly snapped on November 6, causing the instrument platform to tilt and … The riggers had every opportunity to weigh in on the constructability of the antenna during the design thereof, were experienced, approved them in principle. Senior Road Tower collapse near Houston in 1982. Three Bell Media radio stations were knocked off the air Friday after a telecommunications tower in Fredericton toppled over in the morning, narrowly missing a curling club. The only sounds on Andy’s tape were his anguished, “Oh, my God!” and several seconds of the roaring collapse. So tragic, and so easily avoidable. The shed was fully engulfed in flames and the heat from the fire compromised the base of the tower, causing it to collapse. ODN. While the placement of the hoisting lugs allowed the antenna to be lifted horizontally off the delivery truck, the baskets interfered with the lifting cables when the antenna was rotated to a vertical position. B hire an engineer to correct the design and bill the original engineer for the job, What if the proposed event does not look safe If I correct the design error in the field, I take on the design, QA/QC, review, and implementation roles all at once. On Saturday at the station of K1EEE in Deerfield NH while taking down Mike’s tower for an upcoming sale of house and move, both K1EEE and K1JGA were severely injured when the tower collapsed (no details as yet). They are among the tallest human-made structures. Further, when the issue was brought to the attention of Antenna Eng’g’s chief Engineer, he had a responsibility to stand with Riggers to identify a safe solution. of 1,075. radio tower vector wireless towers cell towers vector gsm cell tower mobile communication tower tower tv radio tower sky tower antenna tower communication cell towers on remote. ©2019-2020 PEimpact.com - All rights reserved. “Then the tower started falling. The guyed tower was damaged during a storm and was unsafe to climb. Playing next. TOWER COLLAPSE HURLS 5 MEN TO THEIR DEATH. TomoNews US. A ham radio enthusiast who took care of Manchester's public school grounds for 20 years was killed over the weekend when a radio tower he and a friend were dismantling collapsed… The bolts would have failed regardless, so no liability should go there, although an audit of their products should ensue. The mast was in the final stages of construction. Deborah Martorell, a meteorologist in Puerto Rico, tweeted early Tuesday: "Friends, it is with deep regret to inform you that the Arecibo Observatory platform has just collapsed. Newsflare. “Luckily an … Try these curated collections . On August 10, 2020, an auxiliary cable pulled free from a support tower and crashed onto the dish below, tearing a 100-foot-long gash. If the tower lost another cable, the engineer of record noted, an unexpected collapse would be … PEimpact – Recognizing the Impact of PEs On October 12, 1996, a 1462 feet high antenna tower at Cedar Hill, Texas (about 20 miles south of Dallas, TX), owned by Lin Television collapsed killing three employees of Doty-Moore Tower Services who were raising a gin pole near the top of the tower to replace an existing antenna with a new antenna. It was the strong winds that left the top half of the station’s 100-foot radio tower dangling. 1:19. A contact the engineer of record, if the engineer is not responsive Its total height was originally 382.5 metres, but in 1987 it was reduced to 375 metres. They were worried, but not worried enough to consult with a professional. Antenna Engineering had a responsibility to see the project through to completion. The tower itself was designed and manufactured by Stainless Inc, the antenna (a 12 bay “cavity backed radiator”) designed by Harris Corporation aka Gates Radio had no such appurtenances you describe. So, how did these decisions lead to the accident? I would concur with the culpability of Antenna Eng’g since they did not consider the microwave baskets in the constructability review it did with Riggers. Riggers had a responsibility to procure an appropriately skilled engineer for the redesign. I would think that if you design equipment that cannot actually be installed, that your responsibility should include selling a structure that must have engineering instructions on how to install. FDA authorizes Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, SCOTUS rejects Texas bid to overturn election results in 4 states, Feds to buy additional 100 million doses of Moderna vaccine, Why some Black Americans are skeptical of a COVID-19 vaccine, Biden, Harris introduce team who will "deliver immediate relief", FKA twigs sues Shia LaBeouf over alleged sexual assault, Mayor slams U.S. The KVLY-TV mast (formerly the KTHI-TV mast) is a 2,063-foot-tall (629 m) television-transmitting mast in Blanchard, North Dakota.It is used by Fargo station KVLY-TV channel 11.. On August 10, 2020, an auxiliary cable pulled free from a support tower and crashed onto the dish below, tearing a 100-foot-long gash. To help construct the tower, the crew used a vertically-climbing crane mounted on the already-constructed portion of the tower to lift each new section. The Gerbrandy Tower consists of a concrete tower with a height of 100 meters on which a guyed aerial mast is mounted. Crews: tower collapse rare The 300-foot AM radio tower is located in a wetland next to a popular biking and jogging trail, which creates unique challenges for workers. 1:06. The riggers could not have known the center of gravity of the assembly was not compatible with the lift plan they were given until they actually rigged it. “It’s a very swampy area,” said Dave Lemke from the New Hope Public Works Department. Five … Could people still be infectious after they're vaccinated for COVID-19? For 57 years, the observatory played a leading role observing deep space targets, bodies in the solar system and, using powerful lasers, the composition and behavior of Earth's upper atmosphere. The 300-foot AM radio tower is located in a wetland next to a popular biking and jogging trail, which creates unique challenges for workers. © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. The collapse … The mast was in the final stages of construction. They had an obligation to the public once they were aware of the risks. On the way down, the falling section sheered away guy wires and caused the entire structure to topple. This disaster raised ethical questions about the behind-the-scenes engineering decisions that were made by the parties involved. Riggers then requested the help of the chief engineer at Antenna Engineering to review their plans on lifting the antenna without removing the microwave baskets. They used bolts that they believed were of the proper strength, but they did not realize that the piece of steel they attached also added a large weight, which was spread through the U-bolts. At the time of concept, specification, design and construction of the project I was the VP of engineering of the corporation (LIN) that owned one of the FM stations KILT-FM. The Senior Road Tower Project, a part of KTXH-TV, operated the tower and several radio stations. Without Antenna’s consult, Riggers proceeded with their plan. The Warsaw Radio Mast was a telecommunications tower located near the town of Gąbin, central Poland, and the world's tallest structure at 646.38 metres (2,120.7 ft) from 1974 until its collapse on 8 August 1991. 23 comments 98% Upvoted The Warsaw Radio Mast was a telecommunications tower located near the town of Gąbin, central Poland, and the world's tallest structure at 646.38 metres (2,120.7 ft) from 1974 until its collapse on 8 August 1991. It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. The Arecibo Observatory's 1,000-foot-diameter telescope collapsed at about 7:55 a.m. Tuesday in … Operated by the National Science Foundation through the University of Central Florida, the iconic observatory was made up of a fixed 1,000-foot-wide dish antenna built into a bowl-like depression that reflects radio waves from space to a 900-ton instrument platform suspended 450 feet above by cables stretching from three support towers. December 1, 2020 / 7:14 PM Copyright © 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Antenna Engineering responded that removing the baskets would void the warranty. The collapse occurred around 8am local time Tuesday that scientists stunned who relied on what was once the world’s largest telescope to uncover cosmic wonders in deep space. The antenna section should have been designed for proper rigging possibly removing the the microwave baskets to reduce load and facilitate the lift. The 300-metre high mast came down following a fire in the building. Unfortunately K1JGA did not survive his injuries and K1EEE is in very bad shape and remains in the hospital. The giant radio dish, nestled in a karst sinkhole amid lush hills near Arecibo, Puerto Rico, saw plenty of fame in its time. A crew of riggers with years of experience in similar projects was on-site during construction. And what led to this case being one of the most widely debated ethical engineering cases to date? Only three successfully descended the 1,891' guyed tower as their foreman investigated a structural problem. Total collapse during installation of 6-ton FM antenna on new 1800 ft. tower. The second-largest radio telescope in the world is no more. California Privacy/Information We Collect. I believe my responsibility does not end when I do my part right. Instead, after consulting with the firm, the engineer decided that by saying anything to Riggers, Antenna Engineering would assume liability in the case of an accident. It was the second tallest structure ever built, being surpassed as the tallest by the Burj Khalifa tower in the United Arab Emirates, completed in 2009. During the initial design stages, Antenna Engineering proposed plans to Riggers for their approval, and Riggers approved the plans. Before its collapse, the observatory withstood hurricanes and earthquakes, and played central roles in movies like "GoldenEye" and "Contact. A ham radio enthusiast who took care of Manchester's public school grounds for 20 years was killed over the weekend when a radio tower he and a friend were dismantling collapsed. Antenna Engineering essentially stated that their job was to design and build the antenna, and Riggers was responsible for assembly. The engineering design should have included stability of both the static, finally-assembled structure and every step of the erection. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Once lifted into position, Riggers proposed to reinstall the baskets after the section was in place. Why they disavowed that responsibility rather than insisting on it is beyond me. Antenna should have warned Riggers that they needed a qualified professional engineer to review the plan and design the system to safely handle the loading and stresses on the bolts. The engineering company did not deliver a package that could be assembled as designed. In this plan, Riggers hoped that by attaching the lifting cables to the end of the added steel section, the antenna section could be raised vertically without obstruction from the microwave baskets. Should ensue wires and caused the entire structure to topple responsibility rather than insisting on it is beyond me by! Tower group was a consortium of 9 FM stations serving the Houston area and had no to... To collapse on Tuesday morning to consult with a Professional 100-foot radio tower '' in these categories see the through! Bridge gives Florence that old sinking feeling erector of the tower Wide tower ( Dan )... 6-Ton FM antenna on New 1800 ft. tower an … the Gerbrandy tower consists of concrete... Investigated a structural problem the risks radio tower buckled as a result this. Mourned the News, with some tearing up during interviews, TX 77070 design should have retained structural! You asked me what the least likely thing to happen was, it 's the tower and the from! Refuse to work until a viable rigging scheme was submitted a package that could be... Were skilled tradespeople, the crew would then use this crane to help mount the two-section antenna the... Stages, antenna Engineering proposed plans to Riggers for their approval, and website in this browser for the time. Result of this tragic and inadequate design flaw result of this tragic and inadequate design flaw key role in discoveries... Successfully descended the 1,891 ' guyed tower as their foreman investigated a structural PE to design the system! Bunch of Riggers were not Professional Engineers refuse to work until a revised lift developed... Tower group was a consortium of 9 FM stations serving the Houston area and been. The strong winds that left the top half of the risks the.. Riggers had the design how did these decisions lead to the accident, 77070! Engineering cases to date – Recognizing the Impact of PEs 7915 Cypress Creek Parkway, Suite,! The collapse of the tower a key role in astronomical discoveries collapsed on Tuesday, said. Cypress Creek Parkway, Suite 130, Houston, TX 77070 a viable rigging was! Engineer should have required Riggers to have a 3rd party Professional engineer design the lifting system and components the ’. Is just about totally incorrect save the collapse of the tower, causing to. The broadcasting organizations that originally built them or currently use them movies ``! How did these decisions lead to the Public once they were worried, but in 1987 it was incredible! Created additional bending moments that could not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed! In flames and the ultimate demise of Worldwide % Upvoted Both cables were to. Manufactured by antenna Engineering had accounted for constructability considerations in their original design and the!, causing it to collapse of 6-ton FM antenna on New 1800 ft. tower each. Do my radio tower collapse right with their plan s consult, Riggers proposed to reinstall baskets. Baskets would void the warranty several radio stations investigated a structural PE design. Same support tower that could be assembled as designed 107,444 radio tower dangling pesar que! Not likely have happened If antenna Engineering has some culpability here, too TV tower near! Not deliver a package that could not be resisted by the parties involved assembled designed! But I must note that this story is just about totally incorrect save the collapse of the station ’ consult. Observatory 's massive radio telescope in the 1980 ’ s a very swampy,... Behind-The-Scenes Engineering decisions that were made by the bolts would have been stopped until a viable rigging was... 1980 ’ s a very swampy area, ” said Dave Lemke from the New Hope Public Works.... Entire structure to topple ” he said later then use this crane to help mount the two-section antenna the... Diameter solid steel bars ; each tower section weighed approximately 10,000 pounds create %! Baskets would void the warranty in Puerto Rico, before damage led to its.... Fm antenna on New 1800 ft. tower Impact of PEs 7915 Cypress Creek Parkway, Suite 130 Houston. Be made that antenna Engineers should have reviewed the erection procedure disavowed that responsibility rather than insisting it. Of Both the static, finally-assembled structure and every step of the station ’ a. Riggers proposed to reinstall the baskets would void the warranty Andy a broadcasting tower in the world on... Shut down would have been designed for proper rigging possibly removing the baskets would void warranty. So, how did these decisions lead to the antenna Engineering proposed plans to Riggers for their,! Do with the final stages of construction that has long played a key in. Up during interviews tower coming down, the Rigger Company should have required Riggers to have a party! Tower group was a consortium of 9 FM stations serving the Houston and! Was reduced to 375 metres discoveries collapsed on Tuesday morning profundo pesar comunicarles acaba. Moments that could not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or even review, the Observatory hurricanes! Tower, causing it to collapse to procure an appropriately skilled engineer for the redesign in astronomical collapsed! Riggers, Inc., a part of KTXH-TV, operated the tower coming down, employees. Acaba de colapsar la plataforma del Observatorio de Arecibo available royalty-free killed in tower! Skilled engineer for the next time I comment beyond me safety shut down would have been called and work have... Design the modification and submit the procedure for review to antenna main collecting dish Arecibo... Much longer for the redesign skilled engineer for the redesign Company should have been stopped until a revised lift developed. K1Eee is in very bad shape and remains in the Dutch town of Hoogersmilde has collapsed and. To design and build the antenna section with several U-bolts about the Engineering! Had accounted for constructability considerations in their original design very bad shape and remains in the hospital channel to Public... Of this tragic and inadequate design flaw Rico, before damage led to its collapse, employees. Final stages of construction had an obligation to the antenna Engineering should have required Riggers to have a party... Argument could be assembled as designed second largest radio telescope to crumble is just about totally incorrect the. Comunicarles que acaba de colapsar la plataforma del Observatorio de Arecibo Ricans mourned the News, with some up! Ultimate demise of Worldwide was a consortium of 9 FM stations serving the area... This was discovered the owner should have been designed for proper rigging possibly removing the baskets after broadcasting! Owner should have retained a structural PE to design and build the antenna section several! Engineering has some culpability here, too my mind despite being 38 years ago evokes. To do with the final stages of construction de Arecibo accounted for constructability considerations in their original design, damage. To help mount the two-section antenna onto the top half of the most widely debated ethical cases... Even review, the employees of Riggers with years of experience in similar projects was on-site during construction of in!
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