Massive Slide in Trinity County Crushes Excavator
![Falling rock crushed an excavator working on Canyon Creek Road near Junction City early this morning. [Photo provided by John Hall]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Excavator-crushed-by-falling-rock.jpg)
Falling rock crushed an excavator working on Canyon Creek Road near Junction City early this morning. [Photo provided by John Hall]
According to Panos Kokkas, Trinity County’s new Director of Transportation, he heard reports that “sometime around 2 or 3 [in the morning] those living close by heard a noise like a freight train going by.”
Now people living in the homes beyond the slide are essentially trapped. “The road is closed,” Kokkas confirmed.
Canyon Creek Road is closed. [Image from the Trinity County Department of Transportation]
“We were able to find the specialty contractor,” Kokkas said. Recently, the contractor “took most of the material down.” But, Kokkas explained, “This morning, we got a report that more rock slid down covering the excavator…That piece of equipment is worth $350-$400,000 dollars.”
He paused and added, “I’m glad our crews didn’t try and take care of [the problem area].”
![Falling rock crushed an excavator working on Canyon Creek Road near Junction City early this morning. [Photo provided by John Hall]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/314088788_10228212618330209_633091342063630760_n.jpg)
View from high above the slide shows equipment working near the crushed excavator. [Photo provided by John Hall]
“It is like a doctor treating a rare disease, this doesn’t happen that often,” he explained. “So many unknowns.”
He added, “At this point, I’m at a loss…I wish I could have better news. Mother Nature wanted to play games with us.”
![Falling rock crushed an excavator working on Canyon Creek Road near Junction City early this morning. [Photo provided by John Hall]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/314069079_5770179833042624_434657825164838772_n.jpg)
Luckily, no one was inside the equipment when the slide crushed the excavator. [Photo provided by John Hall]
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Hard to kill a CAT that excavator will live on for 8 more lives
A little Bondo should fix it right up..
Bondo and duct tape. Might actually need gorilla tape for some of that.
Get real Donna! They may needs crow bar too. 😉
And a dab of JB Weld
That will buff right out.
It already got bluffed out
There’s few things that can’t be solved through the application of high explosives ?
My sentiments exactly!
Fire in the hole. Problem solved.
“It is like a doctor treating a rare disease, this doesn’t happen that often,” he explained. “So many unknowns.”
‘Complications. It seemed straightforward during the planning sessions, but it turned out to actually be very complicated’, said the ROCK-it Surgeon.
Seriously though—I’m glad everyone is OK and I trust all the trapped residents can make it through the interim without too much hassle!
HEADACHE!!!
“…..large boulders collapsed onto an excavator that had been removing loose rock…”. “Had been removing”. I scanned through the article to see if the operator was alright. I am left to assume there was not one. The suspense was real. I hope my assumption that no one was injured is too.
I found out that no one was on excavator at the time.
The caption on the last image states it outright, “Luckily, no one was inside the equipment when the slide crushed the excavator. [Photo provided by John Hall]” Though I had thought that it would have been obvious that if I had known someone was hurt, I would have mentioned it.
Kym, Someone once said to my sister, who was in sales at that time, “you are so good at what you do that you could tell someone to go to hell and they will thank you for the travel advice”. I thank you just beautifully displayed that same skill!
Thanks Kym! Appreciate you work!
Wow that could have been a horror show. I’m glad the local crews had the sense to steer clear. Gravity.
That will buff out! But the road. Won’t last 20 years
“Sometime you’re the windshield, sometimes you’re the bug…”
Mary Chapin Carpenter
Dire Straits.
Which song? Can’t recall that line in a Dire Straits song.
Hey! You can’t park there!
This happened at around 2 in the morning. Why would you park an excavator under an unstable slope, especially after our first significant rain?
Good point
Great insurance and being over extended on money? Maybe
It is just lucky that all that rock came down when there was no operator in the excavator. They would have surely been seriously injured or killed. I hope more rock does not fall and hurt someone when they are removing the debris. Tread lightly guys!
How far north of 299?