In the wake of a devastating storm that overwhelmed Cordova and caused severe damaged to one of its buildings, Copper River Seafoods is busy removing debris and working to assure safe storage for vessels and supplies that were housed there.
As of Jan. 16, nearly one-third of Copper River Seafoods' warehouse building number 7 had been torn down to reveal the clearest assessment yet of damage, said Robin Richardson, company spokesperson.
Four of the 20 fishing vessels stored in that warehouse were damaged by the building collapse, Richardson said. Three of the boats incurred minor damage and one sustained more severe damage, she said.
The company is consulting with the owner of each of the vessels on the status of their respective boats and arrangements are being made on a case-by-case basis for handling and movement, she said.
Copper River Seafoods has been awaiting the arrival of equipment on the Alaska Marine Highway ferry, but due to severe weather conditions, as of Jan. 16 the ferry had been delayed for five days.
The equipment shipped on the ferry, once it arrives, will be used to remove the boats, complete demolition of the warehouse, place the boats back on the original pad, covered and secured, Richardson said.
To date, up to a dozen workers at times have successfully removed 70 percent of the debris and building materials from the collapsed section of the warehouse building.
It was anticipated that the demolition project and safe and secure storage of the vessels and supplies that were stored in warehouse lockers would be complete by Jan. 25, Richardson said.
Company officials moved quickly as the damage from the storm became evident, dispatching equipment to Cordova on Jan. 8 to begin work at the warehouse site. With spare snow shovels in short supply, the company included in the equipment load aluminum shovels custom made for this particular snow situation, Richardson said.
"Additionally, we delivered a snow blower, a 40,000 pound front end loader and a 12-yard dump truck."
The mobilization and operations department (of Copper River Seafoods) arrived in Cordova and immediately went to work clearing snow from around the company's facilities on the waterfront.
Pip Fillingham, a company owner and resident of Cordova, has been on site with the work crew as they worked first to reinforce structures damaged by the heavy snow and then to begin debris cleanup and securing boats and supplies stored there.
This story first appeared in The Cordova Times. Contact Margaret Bauman at mbauman(at)thecordovatimes.com