Boston Ladder 15 Catastrophic Failure

[IzzyEng4 427]

Cross Posting from EMTBravoNewEngland.COm

Original post by SOlsonBFDL14

LINK: http://emtbravonewengland.com/index.php?topic=233.0

POST:

On Tuesday February 20 at approximately 2030hrs, Box 14-221 was transmitted for a reported fire at the South End Tennant Housing, 400 Massachusetts Ave. in the South End. Engines 22, 7 & 33 along with Ladder 15, Tower Ladder 17, Rescue 1, District 4 Chief & Division 1 Deputy Chief were assigned. While Ladder 15 was raising the aerial on their 2004 Pierce 105' Rearmount truck, the last fly section suffered a catastrophic failure & caved in upon itself, bending the stick significantly. A crang from Shaughnessey Crane was eventually dispatched to secure the stick so that it could be lowered to the bed. Two engineers from Pierce Fire Apparatus were dispatched from Appleton Wisconsin yesterday to Boston to investigate. Ladders 1, 7 & 18 were taken out-of-service until a complete and thorough inspection was completed. The Boston Herald had a great story & picture on page 2 of today's paper. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional...rticleid=184327 More information when it becomes available.

Edited February 22, 2007 by IzzyEng4

[Guest]

Wow...thank god no one got hurt. Very, very scary...looks like Pierce has some explaining to do :\

[IzzyEng4 427]

I believe that its a medium duty 100 foot aerial, I'm unsure though. I'll post more as the info becomes available.

[x635 4,066]

Wow. That failure is quite dramatic, judging by the photo in the Herald Online.

It'll be interesting to see what the investigation reveals, E-One's response, and if it will affect Boston's apparatus purchasing or replacement plan. I know those aerials, especially 15's, get a lot of use.

[Guest]

I believe this is the ladder in question, a 2004 Pierce 105' rear mount.

[RDUNC67 1]

Wow. That failure is quite dramatic, judging by the photo in the Herald Online.

It'll be interesting to see what the investigation reveals, E-One's response, and if it will affect Boston's apparatus purchasing or replacement plan. I know those aerials, especially 15's, get a lot of use.

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Can't wait to read the forums on Firehouse.com about this deal.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

It will be interesting to see what the final outcome, if it will be made public as to what may have caused this. There is much that will be needed to take in I'm sure before there is a conclusion. Testing, prior usage, set up and other conditions etc.

x635...this was an Pierce aerial....not E-One. Additionally this was a steel ladder and E-One only utilizes aluminum ladders.

Izzy, if you have any details you know about that ladder PM please.

Also just to point out, many manufacturers still utlize the "medium," "heavy" and "super heavy" duty descriptions, but this has been taken out of NFPA 1901. The "medium" isn't necessarily means they bought a cheaper ladder, the "medium" usually means a 500 lbs. tip capacity, "heavy" 1000 lbs. and super heavy "1250." NFPA 1901 requires a minimum tip capacity of a aerial ladder to be 250 lbs and an aerial platform to be 750 lbs. The minimum I've dealt with in my career and teaching aerial operations is the 500 lbs which used to be termed "medium" duty in the old NFPA versions. The 250 lbs. "light" duty I have not ever dealth with.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Yes, the truck that failed was the new Pierce and it is a Medium Duty (can tell by only one set of jacks instead of two sets like a heavy duty will have).

The replacement will be an E-One from the spare pool.

No other info as of yet.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Here is a link to Pierce's website, for an article about the failure of Ladder 15: http://piercemfg.com/company/newsstory.cfm?ID=176

they are reporting prior damage to the medium duty ladder.

Edited February 23, 2007 by grumpyff

[Arrowxt 8]

The failure was due to previouse damage to the unit turntable and controls. The linkage to the raise lower lever was damaged and they had handwritten in a new nuetral spot with magic marker.

The lever stuck , and the device reverse loaded and did the damage that would be done to any manufacturers ladder under reverse load.

All other trucks were inspected and are still in service.

Pierce does build Aluminum ladders and has a Heavy duty with a 12' spread and 750lb tip load dry 500lb wet unrestricted flow.

Pictures will be out soon

Arrow

[Guest]

"American components, Russian components.....ALL MADE IN TAIWAN!!!!!!!"

[Reliance 29]

"American components, Russian components.....ALL MADE IN TAIWAN!!!!!!!"

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I would say it comes down t whoever wrote the word neutral on the control panel in the new spot and or got the cables repaired

[Oswegowind 17]

neutral....that has got to be a classic...in the middle where it ain't supposed to be!

[Arrowxt 8]

Heres a pic

BulletinBostonAerialIncident022307.pdf

[Remember585 815]

Did anyone get hurt?

[IzzyEng4 427]

Did anyone get hurt?

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no

Starting to sound like "operator error"..... not good. Hopefully it isn't.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Reverse loading is a major contributor to many aerial failures. As well as operator error.

Another instance where it is important to understand the need for a good maintenance program and that if a device is not working properly it must be taken out of service. For the safety of ourselves and the public.

Just a quick question, maybe I'm not getting the post, but where other then the middle should "neutral" be.

[Arrowxt 8]

Here is a pic of the controls.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Reverse loading is a major contributor to many aerial failures.  As well as operator error. 

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Quick question. I am pretty sure I know what reverse loading is. Is that when, persay, you rest an aerial on some surface and pressure is applied. In other words, pressure is forced UP on the aerial device instead of the downward weight of humans, tool, etc?

Edited February 25, 2007 by xfirefighter484x

[cas2383 22]

Yes, that is when the pressure was applied in an upward motion, putting a strain on the upper rails of the ladder structure instead of the lower much stronger ones in a normal case.

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Yes, that is when the pressure was applied in an upward motion, putting a strain on the upper rails of the ladder structure instead of the lower much stronger ones in a normal case.

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Thanks for the confirmation! Much appreciated!!

[Guest alsfirefighter]

With normal aerial operation, the aerial device is designed to be operated as a cantilever. The bottom section (beams) are in compression and the top portion (rails) are in tension. You are correct in your thought of reverse loading, that is where the opposite occurs the bottom is in tension and the upper is under compression. This can occur when the aerial is rested upon an object, as well as improper applications of the master stream. The biggest problem of this occuring is that the beams are much more substantial then the rails, hence the rails are weaker and are not designed to carry such loads.

[Arrowxt 8]

try this pic.

[Arrowxt 8]

try this pic.

Presentation1.ppt

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Arrow. You got a link but no pic is showing..just a bunch of garbled letters and symbols. Unless the problem is on my side.

[Scottyk107 9]

Arrow.  You got a link but no pic is showing..just a bunch of garbled letters and symbols.  Unless the problem is on my side.

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same problem

[Oswegowind 17]

Tom, that would be computer code...like the symbols that actually mean the letters and numbers we are typing...

[NYMedic37 22]

Hey ALSFirefighter......I also got nothing but a bunch of garbled letters from arrow. Must be a problem on arrow's end.

Paul

[xfirefighter484x 234]

Arrow.  You got a link but no pic is showing..just a bunch of garbled letters and symbols.  Unless the problem is on my side.

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I had the same problem ALS.

[Guest 40-32 Comms]

It seems as if the board is rendering it as a .php page. Right click on the link and select "Save Link As..." Be sure to change the .php file extension to the correct .pdf, .ppt, etc. You should be able to open it then.