NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (AP) — Reports show Rhode Island officials were warned about an unstable 100-foot wind turbine at Salty Brine State Beach nearly a year before it fell.
WPRI-TV reports the state-funded $32,000 structure was built to withstand wind gusts up to 130 mph. The turbine lasted seven years before snapping in half last March in a storm where wind gusts reached 60 mph.
Records show a company charged with inspecting the turbine sent an email about missing bolts to the state Department of Environmental Management in 2016.
DEM officials say the wind and missing bolts caused the tower to collapse, but claim the inspection company was responsible for fixing the issue.
The contractor told WPRI-TV he could not remember if work was done to fix the bolt problem.
