Date:  Wednesday, September 03, 2008

Contact: Dave Chesson, WSDOT Communications, 360-757-5970 (Burlington)
Marco Foster, WSDOT Engineering Manager, 360-757-5991 (Burlington)

BURLINGTON – No one was injured after a pile driving crane collapsed at a work site near SR 20 and I-5 in Burlington earlier today.

Crews working for IMCO were hammering pilings into the ground with a pile driver when the machine malfunctioned. The 100-foot crane boom used to support the pile driving hammer collapsed. Six workers were in the area, but no one was injured.

The contractor is investigating the failure. Pile driving work is suspended until the preliminary cause is determined and new equipment can be brought in.

Crews were following standard operating procedures when the accident occurred. Crews were out of the way before the boom failed and fell onto the crane.

The pile driver acts like a giant hammer to pound steel pilings into the ground. The pilings will support the new southbound on- and off-ramps at the SR 20 interchange. A total of 72 pilings will be needed for the new ramps.

Pictures of the damaged pile driver are available on the Web: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157607092852942/.   

For more information on the SR 20 widening project, please visit the project Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/SR20/sr536fredonia.  

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