August 26, 2007
Near Wasco, (East)Oregon
One man was killed and another injured when a wind turbine's support column snapped and crashed to the ground in Sherman County.
Sherman County Police said today that the collapse occurred at about 4 p.m. Saturday at a wind farm in the rural county west of The Dalles.
The steel tube supporting of the turbine, which wasn't operable, broke about half way up.
Many industrial turbines at wind farms in the Northwest can stretch to nearly 400 feet tall.
Police said a cause of the collapse was not known. Officials from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were investigating.
"It was a fully erected wind turbine, but it hadn't been in operation, and the people working on it were maintenance technicians," Police said.
Police are not releasing the names of the two men only that the man who died was from Goldendale, Wash., and was on the top of the turbine when it collapsed.
The other man was from Minnesota and was trapped in the support column after the collapse.
The injured man was taken to The Dalles Medical Center, but no information about his condition was available.
Click to view image: '87058-Snapped_Turbine_b.jpg'
Click to view image: '87058-Snapped_Turbine.jpg'
Click to view image: '87058-Snapped_Turbine_a.jpg'
Click to view image: '87058-Snapped_Turbine_c.jpg'
Click to view image: '87058-Snapped_Turbine_d.jpg'
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Stoopid clean energy technology. No one would have been killed in a coal burning power plant.
Posted Aug-26-2007 Byliveleakybladder (111.02) 
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these things arent very well designed for the stresses they must endure. Unfortunately it will take something like this before something is hopefully done...
This in no way effects the actual effectiveness of wind power, properly designed and constructed, it is a fantastic idea!!
Posted Aug-26-2007 ByNecrobater1 (22.74) 
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Posted Aug-26-2007 ByoOAmericanOo (53.98) oOAmericanOo View Channel Send Message
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Could have snapped any time but did so when a man was on top, what an unlucky bloke.
Posted Aug-26-2007 Byshortfatbaldbloke (53.80) 
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Looks like the composite materials used in the construction of the mast (bottom pic) delaminated, causing the collapse.
Posted Aug-26-2007 Bybongabonga99 (119.74) 
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just saw a wind farm for the first time a few weeks ago, they are huge...can't imagine the ride down on that puppy
Posted Aug-26-2007 Bysmicj (45.68) smicj View Channel Send Message
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btw i think that composite part is one of the blades, note the spinner cone just behind it.
Posted Aug-26-2007 Bysmicj (45.68) smicj View Channel Send Message
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Like one other poster said, this thing delaminated big time - the manufacturer may just end up with a bit of a lawsuit on their hands.
Posted Aug-26-2007 Bydchky (93.52) 
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hope he had time to get a good BM in before he hit the ground..
Posted Aug-26-2007 Byjackingoffkills (87.86) 
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"Police said a cause of the collapse was not known." Gah, every collapse, every plane crash, some news hack has to throw in a line like that...
"GRAVITY" Google it!
Posted Aug-26-2007 Byrip1980 (743.42) 
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This in no way effects the actual effectiveness of wind power, properly designed and constructed, it is a fantastic idea!!"
Posted Aug-26-2007 Bycanucklehead (180.34) 
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Posted Aug-26-2007 ByRipnem (45.46) Ripnem View Channel Send Message
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Don't the damn things cost like a million a piece? That would explain the 10-20%. You have to look way into the future to justify.
Posted Aug-26-2007 ByRipnem (45.46) Ripnem View Channel Send Message
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last picture : what a mess....
Posted Oct-5-2007 Bygemini1965 (13.64) gemini1965 View Channel Send Message
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Using something stronger than a giant paper-towel roll would of prevented such an incident.
Posted Sep-20-2008 Bytoomanymodz (58.88) 
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