UPDATE: 40-metre tall, 76-tonne fire damaged crane in Kelowna is down

The fire damaged 40-metre tall, 76-tonne crane that interfered with traffic on Kelowna's Glenmore and Union Roads is down and traffic can soon flow again.

A team of experts worked to lower the crane next to Glenmore and Union Roads in Kelowna today, April 13. Those roads have been closed for the past week after a fire destroyed a 54-unit apartment complex that was under construction near that intersection, forcing the evacuation of nine homes and 16 people.

The crane was compressed down and loaded on a trailer for transport to the scrap metal pile mid-afternoon and crews were taking down barricades blocking traffic shortly before 4:30 p.m. There had been some concern that it may have taken into the evening to get the work done but it went smoothly.

READ MORE: Evacuations ordered while crane in Kelowna fire remains a risk

Lance Kayfish, the City's risk manager, told iNFOnews.ca the operator box in the crane was heavily damaged by the fire so efforts were made to power it up remotely in order to collapse the structure.

Once the site is deemed safe, investigators will try to determine the cause of the fire.

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