180 foot fuel processing tower transported to Imperial Oct. 14 and 15, 2019.  Submitted photo. 180 foot fuel processing tower transported to Imperial Oct. 14 and 15, 2019. Submitted photo.
Sarnia

Huge tower moved through the night to Imperial (GALLERY)

A huge fuel processing tower was painstakingly moved through south Sarnia to the Imperial refinery Monday night into Tuesday morning.

The 180-foot tower is replacing one that collapsed at the plant in April.

Moving at a top speed of four kilometres an hour it took some 10 hours to get to Vidal Street South from Alliance Fabricating on Chester Street.

There were road closures along the route and Vidal Street between St. Andrew Street and Huron Boulevard was temporarily closed at 9 a.m. Tuesday to complete the move. The vessel cleared Vidal Street and was within the plant gates by 11 a.m.

Map of Imperial tower route (Courtesy of Sarnia Police Service)

Imperial Public & Government Affairs Manager Kristina Zimmer said the tower, escorted by police and Bluewater Power, safely arrived Tuesday morning and is to be lifted into place this week. She said the lift is weather dependent and the company will provide community updates as details are finalized.

The company has said a design change during maintenance in 2011 was a contributing factor in the collapse of the old tower on April 2.

180 foot fuel processing tower transported to Imperial Oct. 14 and 15, 2019.  Submitted photo. 180 foot fuel processing tower transported to Imperial Oct. 14 and 15, 2019. Submitted photo.

180 foot fuel processing tower transported to Imperial Oct. 14 and 15, 2019.  Submitted photo. 180 foot fuel processing tower transported to Imperial Oct. 14 and 15, 2019. Submitted photo.

180 foot fuel processing tower transported to Imperial Oct. 14 and 15, 2019.  (Photo courtesy of Imperial)180 foot fuel processing tower transported to Imperial Oct. 14 and 15, 2019. (Photo courtesy of Imperial)

https://twitter.com/BluewaterPower/status/1184090712046030849

Read More Local Stories