Giant Boulder Falls On Route 5

Wirt DOH workers use dynamite to remove rock

Photos by Bill Ward

Wirt DOH workers spent 12 hours Saturday removing a giant rock that slid from a steep hillside above State Route 5 at Burning Springs.

The highway was blocked for several hours.

An early call to 911 expressed fear an auto had been crushed under the rock, which was not an accurate report. A vehicle did run into the boulder after it fell in the highway early Saturday morning.

Workers used dynamite and a hydraulic ram to break the rock into smaller chunks, according to road supervisor Alvin Engelke.

Work is expected to continue today to make repairs to the roadway, including a hole knocked through the blacktop.