Bad bucket truck accident...

That sucks! I wonder what happened? That looks like an old Asplundh truck.
 
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  • #4
One of my climbers knew him and still knows alot of the boys at Howie's........I'm sure I'll hear exactly what happened. I'll keep you posted.
 
That truck looks pretty old. Did he keep up with maintenance and annual inspections?
 
The leveling cables are either 5 or 7 year rated. Of course you can probably get 12-15 years out of them, but one day they are going to break and the bucket is going to crash to the ground. The truck cab looks to be a '80s vintage Ford so I'm going to guess the leveling cables have not been replaced in the last 10 years (maybe 20).
 
There's a lot of buckets like that around here. Makes no sense to me why someone would use a piece of equipment like that. Most of these guys would never climb with an old beat up, frayed, and cut-up climbing line; yet they don't even think twice about going up in a rickety old bucket that hasn't been inspected in years. Go figure. :roll:
 
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  • #9
Thats about the size of it guys......I agree, total lunacy to use a beat up ol' piece of kit like that, without keeping it in safe working order.
 
Its a Chevy Truck Brian, and it might be las old as the late 70's judging by the cab/chip box.

Its an old Asplundh LR45 from the pic it looks like the lower boom failed, probably the lower cylinder. You can see the upper boom spiked down into the ground.

Terrible accident.

48215319.jpg
 
Piece thats to big to hold with one hand and needs dropped elsewhere. Cut it free, move bucket right next to it and lay it on the rim of the bucket next to you
 
Ok, I thought that's what he meant but wasn't sure. Gotta make sure I know all of the bad techniques.:D
 
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  • #17
stehansen said:
Did you find anything out Wiseman?
Click to expand...

Yes Steve, cable snapped and he bashed his brains out on the guttering/side of the house on the way down....instantaneous as it was. DOA at the local hospital. A mate of mine is a NYC paramedic.........he filled me in on the gory details.
 
TheTreeWiseMen said:
Yes Steve, cable snapped and he bashed his brains out on the guttering/side of the house on the way down....instantaneous as it was. DOA at the local hospital. A mate of mine is a NYC paramedic.........he filled me in on the gory details.
Click to expand...

I wonder if a helmet might have saved his life? Assuming he wasnt wearing one.
 
If I am guessing right, the bottom cable for the lower boom broke and the whole bucket assembly went out from under him, leaving him in a free fall.
 
It sort of reminds me of when I was cruising along on my bicycle at a fast clip and the handlebar snapped in half. I think the poor guy had about a half second to think, "something is unusual here", then lights out.

That really is terrible. :(
 
I can only hope that when my time comes it happens just that quickly. Nothing terrifies me more than a long, drawn out death. Death doesn't bother me, but the dying part does.
 
I believe the Asplundhs had a 3/4" cable

And your truck has 2 lower cables Steve.
 
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