Fun STOP THESE THINGS

The wind industry calls blade disintegration ‘component liberation’, survivors call it a terrifying dice with death.

A few weeks back we reported on a wind turbine in a schoolyard near Petersburg, Illinois that decided to ‘go rogue’, unshackled its blades and sent school kids screaming in all directions. These things are also accomplished at throwing massive chunks of ice in all directions, likewise creating a serious threat to life and limb.

The latest dose of daily turbine terror comes from Dear Island, Massachusetts. Where holidaymakers were treated to a little routine component liberation, no doubt content in the knowledge that they were simply part of the inevitable ‘transition’.

Object flies off of ‘out of service’ wind turbine on Deer Island, prompting closure to public accessway
7 News Boston
Lisa Gresci and Michael Yoshida
29 May 2023

Officials believe an object that was seen hanging from then flying off of a wind turbine on Deer Island may have been the result of strong winds and a broken braking mechanism.

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority said emergency crews and staff were on-site Monday morning after a passerby noticed that one of the two wind turbines at the Deer Island Treatment Plan had “something hanging from one of the blades.”

A witness told 7NEWS it was around 10:15 a.m. when they were travelling near the turbine and heard a noise that caused them to look up and see the object. A piece later flew off of the turbine, in what a witness described as a scene straight out of “Final Destination,” as they weren’t sure where it would land.

Luckily, no injuries were reported and the public access area near the turbines was soon closed off as the MWRA, police and firefighters responded to the scene.

Transcript

Jadiann Thompson: First up at nine o’clock, gone with the wind. The tip of this wind turbine blade goes flying off on Deer Island and people say it was frightening and they ran for cover.

Caroline Goggin: And tonight investigators are trying to figure out how it happened. Our team’s Michael Yoshida is live in Winthrop with the story you saw first on 7.

Michael Yoshida: And at this point tonight, the turbines have stopped. But frightening moments earlier today when those who are out enjoying a beautiful Memorial Day were sent running when a piece of one of the blades came flying off. Turbine trouble caught on camera.

Troy Fitzgerald: It was just out of control.

Michael Yoshida: Cell phone video shows the moment the tip of a blade goes flying off a wind turbine on Deer Island. Those enjoying a sunny Memorial Day, running to safety.

Troy Fitzgerald: We felt like we were in danger, so we sprinted away from it.

Michael Yoshida: Troy Fitzgerald and Olivia Gaines called 911, fearing the wind turbine was about to come apart.

Troy Fitzgerald: A small piece broke off the tip of one of the blades, and then a much larger piece started breaking off and then it was a projectile. It flew. Pretty far from it, and close to where people were walking. It was scary to see.

Michael Yoshida: Emergency crews on the water and land working to keep people away, while crews worked to stop the turbine from spinning.

Ria Convery: That little piece you see spinning around, it is the tip of the blade which appears to be hanging on by a piece of fibreglass.

Michael Yoshida: Officials from the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority say that turbines are part of their renewable energy system at the Treatment Facility, but this turbine has been locked and out of service since April of 2022. What happened is being investigated, but officials say strong winds may be to blame.

Ria Convery: We assume that the wind jostled that lock free.

Michael Yoshida: After hours of trying to get the emergency break to kick in, the spinning finally stopped.

Troy Fitzgerald: As we were walking and we were like, “Final destination, you think. Imagine if that were to happen.” And then it begins happening.
7 News Boston

But Officer, it was only trying to save the planet.