Crews lift boom from wrecked house

<p>Michelle and Kevin McCarthy watched from the sidelines Tuesday as crews worked for hours trying to free their home from the massive crane that crushed their roof and split the northwest Santa Rosa house.</p><p>Just as light raindrops started to fall into the ragged, gaping hole, the huge boom cleared the roof about 3 p.m. and later the upended 175-ton truck was back on its wheels.</p><p>A crew from Reliable Crane & Rigging took on the complicated task of removing their crane, which had sliced the McCarthy’s home in two during a tree removal job on Monday.</p><p>Early efforts proved frustrating as the weight of the boom was too much to be safely hoisted by two additional cranes brought to the site.</p><p>The recovery effort took center stage at the Molly Court neighborhood, drawing a crowd of TV crews, nine firefighters, police officer, insurance agents, a Cal-OSHA representative and dozens of onlookers.</p><p>Once crews were able to release the 25-foot metal lattice-work extension or jib from the boom and lighten the weight, operators in the two functioning cranes began a slow and laborious effort over four to five hours of inching up the crane and ultimately sliding it away from the house.</p><p>Officials for the company would not comment.</p><p>The McCarthys, who with their two sons were evacuated Monday night while the fallen crane was held in place with a second crane, were anxious to get the job done so they could get inside to retrieve some belongings.</p><p>“I just want to get stuff for my two boys, clothing, food. Everything you take for granted,” said Kevin McCarthy.</p><p>Before nightfall, Santa Rosa firefighters escorted the couple into the damaged home where they were able to get clothing, food and items for the boys.</p><p>The McCarthys moved into the home near Monroe Elementary School on Marlow Road in August. They hired Atlas Tree Surgery to remove an old and ailing oak tree, which sat up against their home in their large backyard. </p><p>They feared the 150-year-old tree could fall and damage the home.</p><p>Reliable Crane & Rigging of Petaluma came out Monday to work with Atlas and remove the tree.</p><p>While several pieces of the oak had been cut and carted up and over the split-level home, the weight of one huge piece was too much for the crane.</p><p>The crane, which had its boom and jib extended about 130-feet out over the house and into the yard, tipped over.</p><p>The boom smashed through the family’s roof, newly remodeled kitchen and living room and into the back deck. The truck section of the crane tipped up into the air, leaving the operator temporarily stranded.</p><p>The couple, who weren’t at home while the tree was being removed, said they still were reeling from the traumatic event but were determined to rebuild.</p><p>“We love this neighborhood,” Michelle McCarthy said.</p><p>The couple, who were planning to stay with relatives, said they have received tremendous support from their new neighbors.</p><p>“The silver lining is the outpouring of love and support we’ve gotten. We know we’re in the right place,” she said.</p><p>Kevin McCarthy, an occupational therapist, said he expected to get a new house once the wreckage is cleared away.</p><p>“I am not going to accept anything else. The house has got to be rebuilt from the ground up,” he said.</p><p>Michelle McCarthy, who is a psychologist with the Sonoma County Office of Education, said she’d gotten into a fender bender in Santa Rosa Monday morning, with her toddler in the car. She’d then spent time at an emergency room being checked out before heading to Marin County to deal with car issues.</p><p>When a neighbor called her to tell her about the accident, she thought a part of the tree had fallen on the roof. </p><p>But it was so much worse, she said.</p><p>“I think we’re still in shock,” Michelle McCarthy said Tuesday.</p><p>Next-door neighbor Sandra Dales and her family were evacuated Monday night. On Tuesday morning, she headed back to the neighborhood after seeing TV news reports from her street.</p><p>“I’m so scared,” Dales said, initially fearing the recovery effort damage her home, or the family’s prized ski boat, which was next to the third crane throughout Tuesday’s removal.</p><p>Dales works at the Lucky’s in Sebastopol, but unable to get to her uniform in her home, she didn’t go into work Tuesday, instead standing with her family and others for hours watching the process. “I couldn’t have concentrated anyway.”</p><p>Beginning Tuesday, there were various plans for trying to get the boom out of the home, including draining the hydraulic fluid to reduce its weight. That wasn’t successful. Workers then wrapped a strap on the boom from the third crane and hoped to lift it.</p><p>“It’s not budging,” said Andy Pforsich, battalion chief for Santa Rosa Fire.</p><p>Crews then began removing the heavy jib, smashed deep into the back yard area, from the top of the boom. After about 11:30 a.m. they disconnected the pieces and the cranes began efforts to lift the boom.</p><p>Michelle and Kevin McCarthy watched from the sidelines Tuesday as crews worked for hours trying to free their home from the massive crane that crushed their roof and split the northwest Santa Rosa house.</p><p>Just as light raindrops started to fall into the ragged, gaping hole, the huge boom cleared the roof about 3 p.m. and later the upended 175-ton truck was back on its wheels.</p><p>A crew from Reliable Crane & Rigging took on the complicated task of removing their crane, which had sliced the McCarthy’s home in two during a tree removal job on Monday.</p><p>Early efforts proved frustrating as the weight of the boom was too much to be safely hoisted by two additional cranes brought to the site.</p><p>The recovery effort took center stage at the Molly Court neighborhood, drawing a crowd of TV crews, nine firefighters, police officer, insurance agents, a Cal-OSHA representative and dozens of onlookers.</p><p>Once crews were able to release the 25-foot metal lattice-work extension or jib from the boom and lighten the weight, operators in the two functioning cranes began a slow and laborious effort over four to five hours of inching up the crane and ultimately sliding it away from the house.</p><p>Officials for the company would not comment.</p><p>The McCarthys, who with their two sons were evacuated Monday night while the fallen crane was held in place with a second crane, were anxious to get the job done so they could get inside to retrieve some belongings.</p><p>“I just want to get stuff for my two boys, clothing, food. Everything you take for granted,” said Kevin McCarthy.</p><p>Before nightfall, Santa Rosa firefighters escorted the couple into the damaged home where they were able to get clothing, food and items for the boys.</p><p>The McCarthys moved into the home near Monroe Elementary School on Marlow Road in August. They hired Atlas Tree Surgery to remove an old and ailing oak tree, which sat up against their home in their large backyard. </p><p>They feared the 150-year-old tree could fall and damage the home.</p><p>Reliable Crane & Rigging of Petaluma came out Monday to work with Atlas and remove the tree.</p><p>While several pieces of the oak had been cut and carted up and over the split-level home, the weight of one huge piece was too much for the crane.</p><p>The crane, which had its boom and jib extended about 130-feet out over the house and into the yard, tipped over.</p><p>The boom smashed through the family’s roof, newly remodeled kitchen and living room and into the back deck. The truck section of the crane tipped up into the air, leaving the operator temporarily stranded.</p><p>The couple, who weren’t at home while the tree was being removed, said they still were reeling from the traumatic event but were determined to rebuild.</p><p>“We love this neighborhood,” Michelle McCarthy said.</p><p>The couple, who were planning to stay with relatives, said they have received tremendous support from their new neighbors.</p><p>“The silver lining is the outpouring of love and support we’ve gotten. We know we’re in the right place,” she said.</p><p>Kevin McCarthy, an occupational therapist, said he expected to get a new house once the wreckage is cleared away.</p><p>“I am not going to accept anything else. The house has got to be rebuilt from the ground up,” he said.</p><p>Michelle McCarthy, who is a psychologist with the Sonoma County Office of Education, said she’d gotten into a fender bender in Santa Rosa Monday morning, with her toddler in the car. She’d then spent time at an emergency room being checked out before heading to Marin County to deal with car issues.</p><p>When a neighbor called her to tell her about the accident, she thought a part of the tree had fallen on the roof. </p><p>But it was so much worse, she said.</p><p>“I think we’re still in shock,” Michelle McCarthy said Tuesday.</p><p>Next-door neighbor Sandra Dales and her family were evacuated Monday night. On Tuesday morning, she headed back to the neighborhood after seeing TV news reports from her street.</p><p>“I’m so scared,” Dales said, initially fearing the recovery effort damage her home, or the family’s prized ski boat, which was next to the third crane throughout Tuesday’s removal.</p><p>Dales works at the Lucky’s in Sebastopol, but unable to get to her uniform in her home, she didn’t go into work Tuesday, instead standing with her family and others for hours watching the process. “I couldn’t have concentrated anyway.”</p><p>Beginning Tuesday, there were various plans for trying to get the boom out of the home, including draining the hydraulic fluid to reduce its weight. That wasn’t successful. Workers then wrapped a strap on the boom from the third crane and hoped to lift it.</p><p>“It’s not budging,” said Andy Pforsich, battalion chief for Santa Rosa Fire.</p><p>Crews then began removing the heavy jib, smashed deep into the back yard area, from the top of the boom. After about 11:30 a.m. they disconnected the pieces and the cranes began efforts to lift the boom.</p>