This 300-foot guyed tower reportedly collapsed after a corroded anchor shaft snapped off
A guyed tower in Mitchell, SD collapsed on Monday on West Havens Ave. due to severe winter weather conditions, but a corroded anchor rod may have contributed to the structure’s failure.
The anchor shaft on one of the tower’s outer foundations separated from its deadman foundation due to severe corrosion, according to an individual knowledgeable about the collapse.
Following the anchor snapping off, the top half of the 300-foot tower folded over.
Nobody was at the tower site when the collapse occurred.
TIA-1019-A requires workers to perform an inspection of the anchors to ensure the safety of personnel prior to climbing and performing any work.
Although the standard’s structural safety check list requires answering: Did you check all guys and their associated anchors for corrosion?, it is not a common practice for crews to dig below the surface to identify whether there are corroded shafts.
The tower supported FM station KVCF’s antenna. The Christian radio broadcast station is owned by VCY America.
In 2012, KSMQ-TV’s tower collapsed in Austin, Minn. during a severe wind and rain storm. The public television station’s insurance carrier refused to pay for a replacement because they said a corroded anchor rod was responsible for the collapse.