Eight days after the Hard Rock Hotel collapse, two cranes have been imploded at the site. According to New Orleans fire Chief Tim McConnell, the implosion went as well as it could have. One crane impaled Rampart Street and damaged a sewer line, which the city said it expected. Sewerage and Water Board crews are on the scene now rerouting the line. It is being removed from the street, according to the city. A portion of the second crane hanging on the side of the building is secure, according to McConnell. McConnell said another crane will go up and remove the arm piece by piece. According to McConnell, the major power line and gas lines that were of concern before the blast were not damaged, and utilities are being turned back on now. The city said three windows were broken at the Saenger Theater, and the building's utilities are intact. There is no word on whether any other buildings were damaged. According to Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the engineers are inspecting the building now, and she expects the National Guard to go in and search for the two bodies that were left inside prior to the implosion. Debris will have to be removed first before the search and extraction can begin, according to the city. Cantrell said that both bodies are where they were before the blast, and the number one priority at this time is search and extraction. Once the bodies are removed, Cantrell said, she will move to have the entire building demolished. The evacuation zone is still in effect, but the exclusion zone has been lifted, according to NOLA Ready. The evacuation zone has been reduced.If you are not in the red zone on the map, you are allowed to return, NOLA Ready said.Several windows at the historic Roosevelt Hotel were broken, according to hotel officials. The Department of Environmental Quality said that there was no change or harm to air quality. Prior to the demolition, all documents, such as papers, maps, blueprints and computers, were removed from the Hard Rock Hotel site and have been secured by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, for the investigation. Three people died in the collapse. Two bodies remain inside the site, and the National Guard has been brought in to assist in the search and recovery of those victims.McConnell said 112 people were working inside the building when the 18-story structure began to crumble.Officials said 30 people were hurt and treated at an area hospital. Eighteen people were taken by emergency medical services to an area hospital, while others went on their own. One person remains in the hospital as of Oct. 17. Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency in Orleans Parish following the collapse of the hotel, which, when coupled with the potential for tropical weather, presented an urgent threat to the city of New Orleans.The emergency declaration allows the state of Louisiana to provide additional necessary assistance to the city of New Orleans.“I am extremely grateful to the mayor’s office, the city of New Orleans, and the incredibly skilled engineers who have taken on this task. As I said yesterday, the state is committed to providing the city with any resources they may need,” Edwards said. “That’s why today I declared a state of emergency in the City of New Orleans."We spent all of yesterday working with the city, the building owner, the contractor and the contractors who will be able to eliminate the threat posed by the two cranes. I will continue to work with the mayor to ensure that we are doing everything we can to protect lives and property.” Stay Connected:Text HARDROCK to 888777 for updates directly from the City of New Orleans on the crane demolition. Information will also be shared on ready.nola.gov and on Twitter @nolaready. For questions or concerns, please call 311.RTA:At 3 a.m. Sunday, the New Orleans RTA is relocated its temporary central transit hub from RTA headquarters at 2817 Canal St. to Duncan Plaza at 343 Loyola Ave.As the City of New Orleans continues its response to the Hard Rock Hotel building collapse, this temporary solution keeps riders closer to the original transit hub while remaining outside of the evacuation zone.The RTA will provide onsite operations management and customer service.The Hard Rock Hotel evacuation zone continues to prohibit RTA transit service to the Elk and Canal hub.The RTA is working closely with the City of New Orleans and will continue to update riders as new information becomes available.The RTA has implemented these service changes to minimize the burden to its riders while continuing to provide safe, reliable service. These changes will remain in effect until further notice.Riders will be able to make transfers to buses at Duncan Plaza as they normally would from Elk and Canal. Lines serving the Transit Hub are:15-Freret, 28-Martin Luther King, 32-Leonidas-Treme, 39-Tulane, 51-St. Bernard-St. Anthony, 52- St.Bernard-Paris Ave., 57-Franklin, 62-Morrison Express, 63-New Orleans East Owl, 64-Lake Forest Express, 65-Read-Crowder Express, 80-Desire-Louisa, 84-Galvez, 88-St. Claude, 91-Jackson-Esplanade, 100-Algiers Owl, 101-Algiers Point, 102- General Meyer, 106-Aurora, 114-General DeGaulle-Sullen, 115-General DeGaulle-Tullis, 202-Airport ExpressStreetcar service changes continue until further notice for the following lines:Riverfront Streetcar – service suspended along entire streetcar line, RTA is recommending that riders use the 55-Elysian Fields or the 5-Marigny-Bywater in place of the suspended Riverfront Streetcar line.Rampart- St. Claude Streetcar – service suspended along entire streetcar line.Canal streetcar-Cemeteries – streetcars will continue to run as normal from Liberty to Cemeteries or City Park, all streetcar service is suspended from Liberty Street to the river. Bus bridges are in place and servicing the suspended portions of the Canal streetcar-Cemeteries line.Canal streetcar-City Park/Museum – streetcars will continue to run as normal from Liberty to Cemeteries or City Park, all streetcar service is suspended from Liberty Street to the river. Bus bridges are in place and servicing the suspended portions of the Canal streetcar-City Park/Museum streetcar line.
NEW ORLEANS —
Eight days after the Hard Rock Hotel collapse, two cranes have been imploded at the site.
According to New Orleans fire Chief Tim McConnell, the implosion went as well as it could have.
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One crane impaled Rampart Street and damaged a sewer line, which the city said it expected. Sewerage and Water Board crews are on the scene now rerouting the line. It is being removed from the street, according to the city.
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
A portion of the second crane hanging on the side of the building is secure, according to McConnell. McConnell said another crane will go up and remove the arm piece by piece.
According to McConnell, the major power line and gas lines that were of concern before the blast were not damaged, and utilities are being turned back on now.
The city said three windows were broken at the Saenger Theater, and the building's utilities are intact.
There is no word on whether any other buildings were damaged.
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According to Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the engineers are inspecting the building now, and she expects the National Guard to go in and search for the two bodies that were left inside prior to the implosion.
Debris will have to be removed first before the search and extraction can begin, according to the city.
Cantrell said that both bodies are where they were before the blast, and the number one priority at this time is search and extraction.
Once the bodies are removed, Cantrell said, she will move to have the entire building demolished.
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The evacuation zone is still in effect, but the exclusion zone has been lifted, according to NOLA Ready.
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Exclusion order is lifted for Hard Rock demo. If you are in the orange zone, it is now safe to go outside. Evacuation order still in effect for red zone until further notice. Map at https://t.co/AyuRn37IF4. pic.twitter.com/5hPimtsXTA
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The evacuation zone has been reduced. If you are not in the red zone on the map, you are allowed to return. Individuals in the red zone must remain evacuated. Text HARDROCK to 888777 for updates on evacuation. pic.twitter.com/DG2rjs2U6h
If you are not in the red zone on the map, you are allowed to return, NOLA Ready said.
Several windows at the historic Roosevelt Hotel were broken, according to hotel officials.
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You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
The Department of Environmental Quality said that there was no change or harm to air quality.
Prior to the demolition, all documents, such as papers, maps, blueprints and computers, were removed from the Hard Rock Hotel site and have been secured by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, for the investigation.
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Three people died in the collapse. Two bodies remain inside the site, and the National Guard has been brought in to assist in the search and recovery of those victims.
McConnell said 112 people were working inside the building when the 18-story structure began to crumble.
Officials said 30 people were hurt and treated at an area hospital. Eighteen people were taken by emergency medical services to an area hospital, while others went on their own. One person remains in the hospital as of Oct. 17.
Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency in Orleans Parish following the collapse of the hotel, which, when coupled with the potential for tropical weather, presented an urgent threat to the city of New Orleans.
The emergency declaration allows the state of Louisiana to provide additional necessary assistance to the city of New Orleans.
“I am extremely grateful to the mayor’s office, the city of New Orleans, and the incredibly skilled engineers who have taken on this task. As I said yesterday, the state is committed to providing the city with any resources they may need,” Edwards said. “That’s why today I declared a state of emergency in the City of New Orleans.
"We spent all of yesterday working with the city, the building owner, the contractor and the contractors who will be able to eliminate the threat posed by the two cranes. I will continue to work with the mayor to ensure that we are doing everything we can to protect lives and property.”
Stay Connected:
Text HARDROCK to 888777 for updates directly from the City of New Orleans on the crane demolition. Information will also be shared on ready.nola.gov and on Twitter @nolaready. For questions or concerns, please call 311.
RTA:
At 3 a.m. Sunday, the New Orleans RTA is relocated its temporary central transit hub from RTA headquarters at 2817 Canal St. to Duncan Plaza at 343 Loyola Ave.
As the City of New Orleans continues its response to the Hard Rock Hotel building collapse, this temporary solution keeps riders closer to the original transit hub while remaining outside of the evacuation zone.
The RTA will provide onsite operations management and customer service.
The Hard Rock Hotel evacuation zone continues to prohibit RTA transit service to the Elk and Canal hub.
The RTA is working closely with the City of New Orleans and will continue to update riders as new information becomes available.
The RTA has implemented these service changes to minimize the burden to its riders while continuing to provide safe, reliable service. These changes will remain in effect until further notice.
Riders will be able to make transfers to buses at Duncan Plaza as they normally would from Elk and Canal. Lines serving the Transit Hub are:
Streetcar service changes continue until further notice for the following lines:
Riverfront Streetcar – service suspended along entire streetcar line, RTA is recommending that riders use the 55-Elysian Fields or the 5-Marigny-Bywater in place of the suspended Riverfront Streetcar line.
Rampart- St. Claude Streetcar – service suspended along entire streetcar line.
Canal streetcar-Cemeteries – streetcars will continue to run as normal from Liberty to Cemeteries or City Park, all streetcar service is suspended from Liberty Street to the river. Bus bridges are in place and servicing the suspended portions of the Canal streetcar-Cemeteries line.
Canal streetcar-City Park/Museum – streetcars will continue to run as normal from Liberty to Cemeteries or City Park, all streetcar service is suspended from Liberty Street to the river. Bus bridges are in place and servicing the suspended portions of the Canal streetcar-City Park/Museum streetcar line.