Demolition begins on former hostpital 'tower'

STORY UPDATED 3.30 PM

24 October 2017

Today the demolition of the former Orange base Hospital reached another milestone.

Work began on the demolition of the tallest sections of the hospital tower.

The best locations to view the work in the coming days is in Prince Street on the footpath next to the TAFE campus.

It is a top-to-bottom gradual demolition.

The equipment will work on the Prince St side of the tower first, then move to the western Sale St side, then move to the Dalton Street northern side. By the end of this week or early next week, the highest two levels of the tower are expected to be removed.

There are a number of interesting pieces of equipment working today.

The main demolition will be done by a claw-shaped tool, mounted on the end of a 26 metre long arm, attached to a 50-tonne excavator. The arm includes its own dust-suppression water spray and a video camera to give the operator (five floors below) a closer view.

Once debris is on the ground, the work will be done by a second excavator. A larger claw-shaped pulveriser, mounted on an excavator with a shorter arm, has a much larger crushing capacity. It is able to cut through thick concrete slabs.

Throughout the demolition, the system of removing all hazardous materials has been the same.

With each building, a specialist team works its way through removing all hazardous material, (such as asbestos).

Once that is complete an independent hygienist signs inspects the building and 'signs-off' on that work. Then the demolition begins. This has been the process with the hospital tower.

~ With thanks to Eyetrix Productions for the drone vision.