NO KNOWN REASONS are currently available for why this American Tower monopole suddenly collapsed when no work was being done in the compound, and the area was observing ideal weather conditions.
UPDATE: Wireless Estimator has confirmed that the monopole that collapsed on March 25, 2024, in Bristol, Rhode Island, is an Andrew structure. Initial confusion arose when a representative from one manufacturer suggested it was a Fred J. Nudd pole, while a Nudd spokesperson identified it as a PiRod monopole. An individual knowledgeable about PiRod’s designs pointed out that the pole in the photograph had step bolts, unlike PiRod’s typical hoop steps for climbing. Additionally, it has been clarified that this collapse was site-specific and did not indicate an endemic issue with Andrew or other monopoles.
A 163-foot monopole collapsed on Monday prior to 10:30 a.m. in Bristol, Rhode Island, and the usual cause of failure would be expected to be extreme weather conditions that exceeded the structure’s TIA-222 design.
An enlarged area of the failure at approximately 30-feet high. Following the structure’s removal, American Tower is expected to perform an engineering study to identify why the structure suddenly failed. Fortunately, no individuals were near the tower site. Had a crew been working on one of the mounting frames at the time, the collapse would have resulted in multiple lives lost.
However, at the time of the failure, Bristol enjoyed temperatures around 43 degrees F with top wind speeds averaging 20 mph, and town officials want to know why the structure suddenly collapsed.
Bristol Operations Manager Eric Dickervitz informed Wireless Estimator that it was his understanding that the structure’s owner, American Tower Corp., would be undertaking a forensic analysis to assess why it fell.
Town Administrator Steven Contente said he was thankful nobody was injured when the tower toppled and that the town’s building inspector had issued a permit for its removal today.
According to the FCC’s database, the monopole was erected in May 2005 and most likely was designed for a 90 mph wind speed, according to TIA-222-F for Bristol County.
According to a spokesperson from monopole manufacturer Fred J. Nudd, it is not one of their structures, and he believes it is a PiRod monopole fabricated in the early 1990s. American Tower did not respond to Wireless Estimator’s request regarding the manufacturer and whether they would proceed with a structural analysis and make it public.
According to a September 2023 Google Earth view of the structure, three tenants are on the monopole. One has been identified as Verizon. Prior to 2018, there appeared to have been two carriers. The monopole failed at approximately the 30-foot level.
In December 2022, an American Tower 114-foot monopole collapsed in Depew, New York, after an onslaught of wind gusts up to 69 mph and blowing snow pummeled the structure, shearing the base plate.
An earlier report had an individual stating that it appeared to be a Fred J. Nudd monopole. A Nudd representative said it was not one of their structures but appeared to be a PiRod monopole.