02.06.09
Explosion at Gerdec
Gerdec, Albania, the clearance operation update.
EOD Solutions Ltd is currently clearing the Gerdec explosion site which is currently standing at 91 acres. The site was littered with unexploded ordnance and many different types of scrap including machines and building rubble. This task is funded by the US Department of State PM/WRA office through ITF in Slovenia.
The task began by removing all the items that could be seen lying on the ground to enable heavy machinery to gain access to remove damaged vehicles and large machines from the inside of what used to be a large working shed. The site which is situated in a re-entrant has brought many challenges none more so than the long periods of rain which has caused landslides and small streams to form washing up more ammunition from below the ground.
The contamination was heaviest on the valley floor and the southern side of the valley. The area to the East which is flat has produced huge amounts of metal and ammunition when we were clearing sub surface. One of our main issues is the large amounts of vegetation which has to be cleared before searching the ground. Some of the trees that have grown over the past three years since we started the task are 6 inches in diameter and require almost lumberjack skills to bring them down.
The good news is we are on the way to completion but there are still many issues to overcome none more so than the area where the fuzes were stored. This area was left until last as it is the most dangerous and contaminated area which lies in the centre of the area being cleared. This will have to be searched by hand because the contamination is such that any metal detector or locator is on permanent alarm.
The other problem will be the removal of damaged fuses which should not be moved at all but cannot be destroyed in situ as it is unknown what lies beneath them. It is our intention to destroy them on site but this cannot be accomplished until the rest of the site is cleared.
All in all a complicated and challenging experience for the whole team who are working in all weathers to complete the task as safely and as quickly as possible.
