A uniquely shaped condominium tower in downtown Toronto was the scene of the collapse of a crane over the weekend, causing years of trouble for residents – and a thorn in the side of the general public.
The residents of the L-Tower in Esplanade 8 felt how a quake echoed through the 58-story skyscraper with 600 units on Saturday when a service crane permanently attached to its top – technically a building maintenance unit (BMU) for window cleaning – fell on the floor the roof.
SEE FIRE:
The Esplanade + Yonge St
* 2:04 pm *
– The crane on the building fell
– Significant damage to the Arts Center
– Buildings are evacuated
– Firefighters advise to stay out of the area
– Fire to assess the structural integrity of the building
– Roads closed in the area # GO1295200
^ ie pic.twitter.com/Nx3Stn83bH
– Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) July 10, 2021
The BMU, although it looks similar, is not to be confused with the undeniably hideous crane that previously crowned the building for more than six years – an annoyingly permanent remnant of the condominium’s construction – and was finally removed in 2018 to relieve residents.
Completion of the apartment was actually delayed due to concerns about the safety of the crane.
However, according to some resident reports on social media, the new machine (which was built in Europe) still had to be used for its purpose before its 20,000-pound counterweight fell and the machine overturned, meaning renters had been left behind for years dirty windows.
The roof was severely damaged, although the original reports that the nearby performing arts center Meridian Hall was also affected were incorrect.
Rescue workers responded to the accident around 2 p.m. Saturday and no injuries were reported, despite the heavy counterweight falling 20 feet on the roof.
Civil engineers and civil engineers were also called in to inspect the structure while nearby roads were closed and buildings evacuated just in case. According to police reports on CBC, the incident means the crane is now being dismantled.
It will actually happen #Toronto #crane https://t.co/rTaixMht7g
– blogTO (@blogTO) May 5, 2018
Building management declined to comment on the event, which has been one of several major crane collapses in the city recently, albeit not nearly as dramatically as it was last year, which saw heavy machine parts hit busy intersections fell in the city center.
