Burnt Conveyor Gallery, Lifting Procedure and Cradle

After a large fire destroyed the existing 143 m (470 ft) long chip conveyor gallery, methods were designed to quickly protect the buildings below and then to safely remove the damaged, fragile structure without portions of it breaking away.

First, large steel shields were designed and installed to protect the buildings in case the gallery collapsed before it was removed.

Next, a steel framed cradle with a hinged bottom was designed to be lifted in place by cranes and wrapped around the wood gallery structure. Once secure, workers in man lifts cut the conveyor sections free of their tower supports allowing the crane to safely lift the sections away.