BUILDING FIRE DEBRIS CLEANUP: SELECTING THE BEST HEAVY EQUIPMENT FOR THE JOB
- On the Job
When your job calls for serious demolition work and debris removal on a tight timeline, you know you’re going to need a machine that can keep up! At least that was the case for THREE16 Services when they were called to downtown Carrollton, Kentucky when a fire destroyed a historic building on Main Street dating back to the 1800s.
Cleaning up after a fire can be a dangerous and demanding job, but it can also be performed quickly, effectively, and safely with the correct heavy equipment.
There are many variations, including size and power to consider when selecting the appropriate piece of equipment to meet your debris removal needs. However, there are other important elements that factor in when preparing for this type of a job site. Understanding the job site location, terrain and environment constraints impact the overall decision making and ultimately jobsite productivity.
TYPES OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT USED IN FIRE DEBRIS REMOVAL.
Many of the heavy equipment types used in the demolition and debris removal sector can be used to clean up after a fire. Dozers, excavators, truck loaders, wheel loaders and dump trucks are all types of machinery deployed to assist in clean-up efforts.
However, one of the most versatile machines used on this application is an excavator.
Excavators are an essential cleanup tool after a fire and can perform a wide variety of demolition work with their boom and bucket. Understanding the terrain and location of the job site is key when determining the class size of the machine to use for debris removal. This was critical for our friends from THREE16 Services when choosing to use the SY60C for their clean-up efforts after a 4K sf structure was determined a loss due to the extensive damage caused by the three-alarm fire.
When it comes to burned structures or vegetation, excavators can easily tear down ruined structures, dig up embedded debris, and load dump trucks to get the debris offsite.
Smaller excavators such as the SANY SY60 mini excavator are ideal for situations that require small physical size and lighter weight, such as in areas with yielding terrain or tight quarters that make access with a larger excavator impossible.
HOW TO SELECT THE RIGHT MACHINE FOR YOUR CLEANUP NEEDS.
Choosing the right heavy equipment for demolition and debris cleanup depends on the following:
- Site Location
- Terrain
- Space Constraints
The key to selecting the right piece of equipment for your demolition or debris removal project is understanding the site location, terrain, any space constraints, and timelines.
The softness of the terrain and whether the jobsite is in a residential or commercial location is something to consider when selecting either metal or padded tracked machine.
Tracked machines serve a wide range of jobs due to their ability to distribute weight over the wide surface. Keeping a machine moving is key to jobsite efficiency and in soft ground, tracks mean the machine won’t get stuck. With the power of a compact machine, you can move faster in even the tightest job sites. Tracks don’t stop at dirt, though. Working on concrete means you must factor in weight distribution alongside surface protection. The SY60C offers agility from climbing piles of debris to strolling the sidewalk without the fear of cracking or sinking.
Attachments best used for removing debris include buckets, thumbs, stump grinders, and brooms.
ABOUT THE PROJECT.
The Historic Carrollton downtown landscape was changed dramatically when a fire reignited, fully engulfing and destroying the 1891 Siersdorfer Building on the corner on Main and Court Streets.
The over 4K sf structure was determined to be a total loss after extensive damage caused by the three-alarm fire. THREE16 Services was called in to remove what remained of the historic site including fire-damaged building materials, debris and ash.
Utilizing the SANY SY60C for the Carrollton debris removal project allowed the team to move more efficiently in tight spaces to complete the project faster and remove the potentially hazardous materials from the community. The SY60C coupled with a single axle dump truck proved to be the best machines to tackle this job site to knock out the debris removal in just 4 days!
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CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AND HEAR HOW THREE16 SERVICES LEVERAGED THEY SY60 TO REMOVE 750 CUBIC YARDS OF DEBRIS IN JUST 4 DAYS!
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Follow along in this video as operator BJ from THREE16 Services walks us through the demolition site and explains how the SANY SY60 excavator enabled his team to quickly remove the fire damaged debris and restore the community charm in Carrollton, Kentucky.
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If you’re operating in more confined, residential areas or on softer terrain, a smaller machine like an SY60C will likely better suit your debris removal needs and help you maximize your job site productivity!
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