Specialist equipment needed for spilled load

A massive oversize load which rolled on Great Northern Highway near Wedgefield will stay on the side of the road until equipment can be found to move it.

The load, a section of a reclaimer, was travelling under escort from the Port Hedland port to BHP Billiton’s Utah Point loading facility on Friday when it came dislodged about 1.30am.

No one was injured in the incident.

A BHP Billiton spokeswoman could not confirm how the load tipped over or how much damage it sustained.

She said BHP would not comment on whether action would be taken against the truck driver or workers responsible for loading the vehicle.

Great Northern Highway was closed until Friday afternoon while cranes removed the rear trailer and several bars which had come off the load.

Minor repair works were required to part of the road.

The load was initially planned to be moved on Sunday, with the highway closed again for most of the day. However, the road re-opened by Monday with the machinery still stranded.

Main Roads Pilbara regional manager Gary Player said regular traffic could continue to use the highway in controlled conditions however, it would remain closed to oversize traffic due to the load’s proximity to the carriageway.

“We will have to keep the area under some traffic management until the modular is removed completely from the site, ” he said.

Mr Player said specialist equipment was required to move the load.

“The load that came off the trailer is significant. It depends on where and if they can get the specialist lifting equipment out there (to move it), ” he said.

“It will be done during a time of low traffic usage to prevent disruptions and will take probably four or five hours.”