Wind turbine tower falls off truck

Bent Tree Wind Farm construction workers start planning how they will right a semi truck that was carrying a tower section of a wind turbine Thursday morning. -- Kelli Lageson/Albert Lea Tribune

MANCHESTER — A section of a Vestas wind turbine tower slipped off the semi that was hauling it early Thursday morning.

The truck was carrying the large tower section on gravel 695th Avenue north of Freeborn County Road 29 near West Freeborn Lutheran Church. It fell off near a turn in the road.

The gravel roads in southern Minnesota were saturated after heavy rains Wednesday night. Albert Lea received more than an inch on Wednesday.

Bent Tree Wind Farm construction workers start planning how they will right a semi truck that was carrying a tower section of a wind turbine Thursday morning. -- Kelli Lageson/Albert Lea Tribune

Fortunately for the construction workers, the ditch along 695th Avenue was shallow compared to most. It is a minimal traffic road.

Trucks have been delivering these large pieces to each site in the Bent Tree Wind Farm since July.

The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office responded to the incident. The call went out around 7 a.m. Sheriff Mark Harig said as far as he knew there were no injuries or damages reported.

“It’s just blocking the road,” Harig said.

He said as of 8 a.m. a deputy was still near the site performing traffic control.

“They’ll have to get a crane to pick it up and move it where it needs to go,” Harig said.

Calls to Bent Tree Wind Farm officials were not immediately returned before this story went to press Thursday morning.

SportsPlus

News

Retired Minnesota flag could receive ‘historic’ designation under new bill

Cops, Courts & Fires

Vehicles broken into and other reports

News

Severe weather possible Friday evening

News

20th annual Chamber Agriculture Luncheon next week

News

Albert Lea officials lobby at state Capitol

Health Updates

COVID boosted efforts to track diseases in wastewater

Advertise with Us -- FEATURE SPOT

Tariffs stoke anxiety with Minnesota officials over uncertain impacts

Cops, Courts & Fires

Despite evidence, Feeding our Future founder denies knowledge of fraud

Education

Albert Lea students win prize in C-SPAN’s national documentary competition

Albert Lea Magazine

For the love of bread: Hollandale woman starts farm stand for eggs, expands into sourdough cookies, bread

News

Baseball: a long area tradition

Arts & Culture

‘All My Sons’ opens Thursday at Marion Ross theater

Education

Education Foundation gives funds to program

News

Freeborn County Communities Foundation grant report: Life Center

Letters to the Editor

Letter: Finstad ignoring constituents

News

Farm Bureau donates to Salvation Army

News

Duplicate bridge weekly results

News

Anytime Fitness celebrates reopening

Cops, Courts & Fires

Court dispositions: Feb. 24-28, 2025

News

No Fountain Lake dredging this summer as Watershed District plans an appeal regarding permit for project

Cops, Courts & Fires

Garage broken into and other reports

News

5 things to do this week: St. Patrick’s Day celebration, Lunch and Learn, Rendezvous fundraiser and more

News

Council approves subdividing parcel tied to potential new Aldi

News

Drive to delay paid family and medical leave program stalls in Minnesota House for now