2008 Woodie Awards
Coal bunker removal delayed until March
By Sheryl McGlory
Rocket Advertising Manager
Issue date: 2/4/05 Section: News
The coal bunker located next to Weisenfluh Dining Hall is slated for demolition this spring.
The demolition was originally scheduled to take place today and a mass email was sent out to students notifying them that part of the parking lot next to Weisenfluh and the utility road from Kiester Road to Patterson Hall would be closed due to the work being done.
Herb Carlson, assistant vice president of facilities and planning at SRU, said the contractor delayed the demolition date due to difficulties locating a crane for the work.
Carlson said the coal bunker was built approximately 20 years ago by a state agency, but has only been used once.
The bunker was modeled after coal bunkers used in the eastern part of the state to store anthracite coal, Carlson said.
SRU uses bituminous coal, which unlike anthracite coal, can be dangerous when stored in large piles.
"It has a tendency to self-ignite," Carlson said. "The first time we put coal in there, it started a fire."
The bunker has not been used since that first incident, Carlson said.
The demolition of the structure is now scheduled to take place over spring break, when most students are off campus.
Some stages of the work have already been completed, Carlson said, such as the removal of conveyors and a bucket elevator from the bunker.
Once the structure is gone, Carlson said an oil tank will be placed on the concrete slab currently holding the bunker.
The demolition was originally scheduled to take place today and a mass email was sent out to students notifying them that part of the parking lot next to Weisenfluh and the utility road from Kiester Road to Patterson Hall would be closed due to the work being done.
Herb Carlson, assistant vice president of facilities and planning at SRU, said the contractor delayed the demolition date due to difficulties locating a crane for the work.
Carlson said the coal bunker was built approximately 20 years ago by a state agency, but has only been used once.
The bunker was modeled after coal bunkers used in the eastern part of the state to store anthracite coal, Carlson said.
SRU uses bituminous coal, which unlike anthracite coal, can be dangerous when stored in large piles.
"It has a tendency to self-ignite," Carlson said. "The first time we put coal in there, it started a fire."
The bunker has not been used since that first incident, Carlson said.
The demolition of the structure is now scheduled to take place over spring break, when most students are off campus.
Some stages of the work have already been completed, Carlson said, such as the removal of conveyors and a bucket elevator from the bunker.
Once the structure is gone, Carlson said an oil tank will be placed on the concrete slab currently holding the bunker.
