Authorities secure unsecured load at Aker Verdal in Norway

On Friday at approximately 1:30 PM, authorities received reports of an unsecured load on a trailer at Aker Verdal. Concerns arose that the steel structure could shift and fall, potentially striking nearby gas tanks. A safety perimeter of 100 meters was established to mitigate risks to local residents.

By 9:30 PM that evening, officials confirmed that the load had been secured, ruling out any danger to individuals in the vicinity, and the police operations at the site had concluded.

The steel framework had been unloaded from a vessel earlier that day, confirmed Aker Verdal. The operation to stabilize the load took several hours, during which officials devised a plan to secure the structure with chains before towing it back to Aker where it would be hoisted by a crane on Saturday.

Tove Strand Trana, communications manager at Aker Verdal, stated that a sufficiently large area had been cordoned off to prevent any risk should the structure fall. Although there was speculation about potential scenarios, they had taken precautions to ensure public safety.

The load was situated on a local road connecting Verdal Harbor to the Aker gatehouse, raising concerns about three gas tanks containing CO₂, nitrogen, and argon. While these gases are not inherently explosive, they are capable of leaking.

A crisis management team was activated, and local government was notified regarding the situation. Both the police and Aker Verdal officials are investigating the cause of the structural instability. Meanwhile, operations at Aker Verdal continue as usual, except for activities in the nearest production hall.