Zendstation Smilde
| Zendstation Smilde | |
|---|---|
 Zendstation Smilde |
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| General information | |
| Status | Partly destroyed - being rebuilt |
| Type | Partially guyed tower |
| Location | Smilde, Netherlands |
| Coordinates | 52°54′9.8″N 6°24′12.23″E / 52.902722°N 6.4033972°ECoordinates: 52°54′9.8″N 6°24′12.23″E / 52.902722°N 6.4033972°E |
| Completed | 1959 |
| Destroyed | 15 July 2011 |
| Height | 294 m (964.57 ft) |
Zendstation Smilde is a tall, guyed structure similar to the Gerbrandy Tower, built in Hoogersmilde, the Netherlands in 1959 for directional radio services and TV and FM-transmissions. It consists of an 80 metre high reinforced concrete tower, and until a fire accident on July 15, 2011, had a guyed mast mounted on top. When first built, the tower, including the mast, was 270 metres high. The addition of a further section (analog TV - UHF antenna) to the mast increased its total height to 303.5 m (996 ft). In September 2007 the analog TV - UHF antenna was removed and replaced by a new UHF antenna for DVB-T, reducing the tower's height to 294 m (965 ft).
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[edit] Owner
Originally the mast was built by the state company for Post and Telefony (Koninklijke KPN N.V.) but due to privatisation this has changed. Several masts in The Netherlands, including above mentioned Gerbrandy Tower, have a complex ownership structure:[1].
- The 82 meter high concrete tower is owned by Alticom BV
- The steel mast on top of the concrete tower is owned by NOVEC BV, a 100% daughter of TenneT BV, which is itself 100% state-owned
- The grounds on which the mast is located is owned by KPN, except for a ring of 3 meters around the base of the tower which is owned by Alticom
[edit] Aircraft incident
On 14 August 1968 a US Air Force plane, an F-100 Super Sabre, from the Lakenheath Air Force Base in England was involved in an accident in heavy low clouds where the tip of a wing hit and broke one of the guy-wires of the tower, causing the upper section of the tower to bend. The airplane managed to land on base with minimal damage.
[edit] Fire and collapse
On 15 July 2011, the antenna section caught fire and collapsed, leaving only the concrete base standing.[2]
In the above mentioned report[1] a warning was given that there was an increased risk of accidents in the masts, mainly because of the complex ownership structure and that because of that (safety) processes were unclear. An investigation by the Dutch police didn't show any (criminal) neglicience or other factors that could have caused the fire[3]
[edit] Rebuilding the mast
The above fire destroyed the steel mast on top of the concrete tower completely and the top of the concrete tower (the base of the steel mast) was damaged. The owner of the steel mast, NOVEC BV, announced that starting in March 2012, the new mast will be placed on top of the concrete tower and that the new mast will be operational in the summer of 2012. The new mast will be a few meters higher than the original one[4]
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Smilde Transmission Tower at Structurae
- Smilde Transmission Tower on fire and collapsing on 15 July 2011 (youtube video)
- Smilde Transmission Tower on fire and collapsing on 15 July 2011 (youtube video)
- Smilde Transmission Tower on fire and collapsing on 15 July 2011 (youtube video)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Report Veilig werken op hoog nivo (save working at a high level),(Dutch) Chapter 2, published: 8 August, 2007, Retrieved 15 Februari, 2012
- ^ Website Telegraaf Mast TV-transmitter Smilde collapsed, 15 July, 2011
- ^ Newssite NU.NL: Geen strafbare feiten bij brand in mast (No criminal offences committed in relation to fire in mast), 20 September, 2011. Visited 15 Februari, 2012
- ^ Website mast-owner NOVEC: Press-releases (Dutch), published 15 Februari. 2012
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