On September 7th, Hurricane Dorian slammed Halifax as a Category 2 hurricane with winds gusting up to 141 km/h.

While many trees and roofs were damaged during the storm, the most iconic and locally famous destruction was caused by a tower crane that succumbed to high winds and collapsed on to an adjacent unoccupied building.

Luckily, no one was injured in the collapse, though for the next two months the local streets were closed as additional heavy lift cranes were brought in to clean up the mess. Several nearby properties were subject to an evacuation order which was in effect until the majority of the crane was removed.

The following is a chronicle of the crane collapse, and its removal.

Sept 8, 2019

Dorian’s aftermath left many trees and power lines damaged. At the height of the storm, close to 400,000 Nova Scotia power customers were without power. Many of these outages lasted several days as large trees had fallen on to power lines.

Cleanup was well underway by late morning of the September 8th. Many residents were out clearing storm drains and sidewalks of debris. The collective effort by many residents during Dorian was notable, as some residents were even out during the eye of the storm to clear drains in an effort to prevent flooding.

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The collapsed crane was visible from afar, perched atop the unfinished Olympus Building. The following two photos are taken from the Morris St. side of Victoria Park, and South Park Street.

Halifax Police secured the scene of the crane collapse for several days following Dorian. Police tape kept pedestrians away from potentially dangerous areas. At this point, it was unknown whether or not there would be further movement/collapse.

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The heavy-lift crane pictured below was used to inspect the site from above, and eventually used to help bring pieces of the damaged crane down.

When the crane collapsed, portions of it fell directly onto power lines and the street below. It appears as though these pieces actually penetrated the pavement.

September 10, 2019

In the days following the collapse, the extent of the damage to both the Olympus building and the neighbouring Trilium became clear. The top levels of the Olympus were completely crushed, and it appears as though the crane brushed the Trilium on its way down.

The boom of the crane was left hanging by only a few joints and cables - a very precarious state.

October 10, 2019

One month post-Dorian, the cleanup of the collapsed crane had not yet begun. Several heavy lift cranes were brought in and work had started assessing the damage, and creating a removal plan.

Over several weeks, pieces of the crane were secured to the Olympus so that they could be cut away, and removed.

October 20, 2019

Crane Removal Begins

Workers were lifted to the crane in a cage, and tasked with cutting away pieces of the crane while additional heavy lift cranes secured the load.

October 21, 2019

As the crane removal progressed, the Halifax Fire Department was tasked with ensuring that falling sparks from cutting tools didn’t cause a fire. Water was sprayed on the site for several days as the cutting took place to prevent further destruction.