Kelowna crane removed, evacuation order and road closures rescinded

UPDATED 5:40 P.M. APRIL 13

A construction crane at the centre of a fire site in Kelowna has been dismantled after an engineer deemed the area safe for crews, according to the Kelowna Fire Department.

The crane was considered to be at risk of collapsing after the fire on April 6, prompting numerous properties within a 100-metre radius to be evacuated.

Late Tuesday afternoon, the City of Kelowna cleared any danger that was imposed by the crane, rescinding road closures on Glenmore and Union roads and allowing evacuation-affected residents near the fire site to return home.

“The related evacuation order for 16 properties in the area has been rescinded and the residents whose homes were not affected by the fire will be able to return to their homes later this evening,” the City of Kelowna said. “The local state of emergency order put in place for the area has also been rescinded.”

The 50-unit, four-storey condo building that was under construction at the corner of Glenmore and Union roads, with an address at 129 Wyndham Cres., burned to the ground.

2:41 Building under construction in Kelowna goes up in flames

“It is on the insurance company and the builder, owner to work through this,” Kelowna Fire Department Deputy Chief of Emergency Management Sandra Follack told Global News. “This is their expense. It’s their crane.”

Following the deconstruction of the crane, fire, RCMP and insurance investigators will enter the site, she said.

“Until that crane is gone, we won’t be able to provide any determination (about the cause of the fire),” Follack said. “It’s still unknown.”

Vehicles and pedestrians had been detoured away from the area due to the risk of the crane falling.

2:06 Construction crane still a problem at Kelowna condo fire site