Bridge Rd reopens after Richmond crane chaos, traders consider civil action over saga
RICHMOND’S Bridge Rd has reopened following a two-day lockout and dramatic evacuation after a storm-damaged crane threatened to topple on local homes and businesses. It comes as local traders consider taking civil action over the emergency.
VIC News
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RICHMOND’S Bridge Rd has reopened following a two-day lockout and dram atic evacuation after a storm-damaged crane threatened to topple on local homes and businesses.
It was opened after 4.30pm today.
But Lennox St remains closed between Bridge Rd and Goodwood St, with VicRoads advising drivers to use Punt Rd or Church St to avoid the closure.
It comes as local traders say they are considering civil action after being forced from their stores due to the unstable construction crane.
RAIN LASHES MELBOURNE AS CREWS TRY TO FIX ‘COMPROMISED’ CRANE
Bridge Rd traders suffered thousands in lost sales after their stores were shut down for two days as authorities worked to secure a 35m crane damaged in high winds on Monday night.
Herschel Landes, president of the Bridge Road Traders Association, said traders lost between $1000 and $3000 during the lockout.
He said up to 70 stores are considering their legal options.
“We could come together and look at potential legal action,” said Mr Landes.
“We are all disappointed, especially for residents who have had to move out of their homes. In that sense our losses are more modest compared to them but nonetheless traders still have to pay rent and wages which is very difficult.”
Earlier today, workers successful dismantled the mangled crane, which was damaged by an intense storm on Monday evening.
With wild winds across Melbourne subsiding this morning, workers finally managed to remove and lower the twisted top of the seven tonne jib onto Lennox St.
The rest of it is being taken apart and it will take 12 trucks to remove it. A new crane is expected to be put up in its place.
The 7 tonne jib of the damaged Richmond crane has been successfully removed. More @theheraldsun. pic.twitter.com/tQ1Q2zmdLh
— Ryan Tennison (@ryan_tennison) July 25, 2018
Two other large cranes involved in helping with the tricky operation remain on site.
Hundreds of local residents spent a second night away from their homes last night, as high winds delayed attempts to dismantle the 35m crane.
But this morning, two workers were slowly lowered towards the damaged machinery by another crane.
Two separate cranes were used to dismantle it. Police and experts said the process would take several hours.
There were long delays in the area this morning when there were road blocks in place on Bridge Rd between Punt Rd and Church Street, and Lennox St between Highett and Swan streets.
Evacuated residents said this morning they are looking forward to returning home.
“It’s all been just an annoying inconvenience,” Richmond local Chelsea Huntley said.
Ms Huntley said she was evacuated along with her boyfriend and dog Ozmo about 6am yesterday.
“My boyfriend woke me up saying I think we need to evacuate,” she said.
“We live above a store so maybe they just either missed us or forgot about us.
“If something had happened, we might have been in trouble.”
Living within 50m of the damaged crane, Ms Huntley and her partner have been staying at a Richmond hotel since being evacuated.
“After initially being moved to the Town Hall, we got a voucher to stay at a hotel where we’ve been ever since,” Ms Huntley said.
“The council and everyone involved have been fantastic in looking after us, but we can’t wait to get back home.”
CFMEU OHS manager Dr Gerard Ayers said it is not yet known if human error was to blame for the incident and that a full review will be conducted once the site is deemed safe.
WHAT REALLY CAUSED CRANE EMERGENCY
WORKSAFE Victoria had received a litany of complaints over unsafe conditions at the Richmond building site where a massive crane threatens to topple onto homes and businesses.
Michael Clark of Clark Cranes said the arm of his firm’s crane had been left too high, causing it to swing and then bend in strong winds.
Locals were evacuated late on Monday and an exclusion zone set up after 110kmh gusts also caused scaffolding poles to rain down on streets.
WorkSafe Victoria confirmed yesterday it had visited the site on several occasions.
A spokesman said: “WorkSafe followed up a number of complaints made by members of the public, and was satisfied appropriate action was taken to address concerns.”
The Herald Sun has seen emails to WorkSafe and City of Yarra from locals and businesses, highlighting issues at the Lennox St site.
VicRoads shut nearby roads to create the 100m exclusion zone, where trams were halted.
Several businesses had to remain closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Michael Coffey, WorkSafe Victoria’s head of hazardous industries, said the weather had put them in a “compromising position”.
“Our inspectors and engineers have been on site working with the crane company closely,” he said yesterday.
“It’s a pretty intense process that we’re going through.
“Once all engineering assessments are completed and safe procedures are in place, the weather will determine when work can begin.”
Aninvestigation of the matter “could end up in court”, he added.
Peter Razos, who lives in a neighbouring apartment block, said yesterday his home resembled a “war zone”, with fallen scaffolding and building materials battering the building in the gales.
He said there had been several issues with the building site this year. He claimed walls and staircases in his building had cracked due to heavy drilling at the site.
He also said the drilling had destroyed his block’s hot water system, causing $10,000 damage and raw sewage to leak into several apartments.
“The place was vibrating for months on end,” he said.
“One time about a dozen red bricks fell all down my driveway. My daughters were out there playing just before.”
It is understood a new building company took over construction of the site when Burnley-based construction firm Project Group went into voluntary administration.
It has been reported the company was working on residential and commercial projects with a total contract value of about $190 million when it announced its insolvency in March.
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WILD WEATHER TO DICTATE CRANE FIX
WORKSAFE and construction experts today used two mobile cranes to take apart and bring down the larger 35m crane.
Emergency services were called to the construction site on Lennox St near Bridge Rd about 11pm on Monday night to reports of an unstable crane following hours of wild winds.
Up to 80 residents living within 100m of the site were evacuated to the North Richmond Town Hall while hundreds more nearby were believed to have left their homes.
Many residents were unable to return home last night and almost 100 homes in the area were still without power.
Victoria Police Yarra Area Commander Rebecca Draper-Schulthesiss said resident and worker safety was front of mind.
“We are focused on community safety and supporting our key partners and keeping the area safe and residents safe until we can get the crane dismantled,” she said.
“Those that we can get home, we’ll get home as soon as possible. We’re a little bit dictated to on how quickly we can move.”
An exclusion zone around the site was established by emergency services and road closures remain in place.
Crane owner Michael Clark said the jib — the crane’s moving arm — was left too high overnight by the operators he had leased it to.
He said it should have been lower, so that it could swing with the wind, rather than catching the jib and bending backwards.
“The crane hasn’t been left in the correct upright position,” he said.
“At some sites, people complain about it overhanging and builders lift it up that little bit to appease the residents. Our first action is a safe and smooth dismantle process, engineered to prevent any further disruption in the area. Simultaneously, we are continuing our investigation.”
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Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Stephen King said the wind hitting the crane on Monday night would have been about 111kmh, but the forecast for coming days was calmer.
Local business owners reported closures were taking their toll on foot traffic and sales along the usually bustling Bridge Rd shopping strip.
“It’s been pretty bad. The road is shut down and that has affected business pretty heavily,” clothing store owner Zev Landes said yesterday.
“We really need people to come down and support us.”
Bridge Rd Main Street president Herschel Landes encouraged shoppers to get behind the local businesses.
“This is a major issue … but the rest of the street is open,” he said.
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