Fiore & Sons’ emergency response

Following extensive flooding that caused major disruption to Coal Creek Canyon, US contractor Fiore & Sons was called in by the Colorado Department of Transport as an emergency responder to return life to normal for the residents who had forced from their homes.

The unparalleled flooding that occurred in mid-September, and especially around the 9 through to the 12, had washed down the canyon side, washing out bridges and culverts creating ditches 7.6 m (25 ft) wide and 6 m (20 ft) deep. According to Fiore senior project manager Rick Givan: “you couldn’t get across some of the ditches even with climbing ropes, they were so massive.” Just 24 hours after a pre-contract meeting with the state, a Fiore crew was on site.

Fiore together with Lawrence Construction developed a methodology for the cleanup. First it was critical to move the debris off of the highway. Rick said: “You’ve got fallen utility lines and exposed gas lines. There is tree and other organic materials laying all over the place, plus residents’ possessions like four wheelers and lawn mowers washed out onto the highway.”

The team split up the responsibilities, with Lawrence working in the creek area, building riprap shoring along Highway 72 and other roads in the area. Fiore started with debris removal to get the road open again. Huge chunks of asphalt roadway had broken from the side of the highway, falling away and making at least one lane impassable in most areas.

“Our goal was to get the vehicles moving again and to get people back to their homes as quickly as possible,” Rick said. “People’s pets had been deserted and the homes were susceptible to break-ins since they were left unattended. We knew we had to get moving quickly.” Fiore expects the cleanup operation will be largely completed by the end of this month.