CRYSTAL LAKE, IA – A group of North Iowa men witnessed a windmill blade snap in half this week.
According to NIT reader JB Johnson of Britt, who witnessed the incident, he and a group of men were in Winnebago county near 370th Street and 70th Avenue (near Crystal Lake) installing drainage tile when they heard a “snap” in the distance.
The men noticed that a nearby windmill had a blade that had broken in half.
“We called the crew working on the windmills,” JB explained. “Normaly they move a little slow. This time they were surprised and picked up the pace,” he said with a chuckle.
There was no word on how quickly the blade would be repaired or how much of a safety risk the broken blade posed.
The windmills are part of the Crystal Lake I, II & III Wind Energy Centers.
I always wondered when this would happen. Does anyone have an answer to this question. After 20 years or so when the windmills are our out of service. who is responsible for removing the concrete footing?