IRONWOOD, MI - Thursday, February 14, 2008 - City water crew members Sam Fontecchio operating the hammer-hoe; Rick Alonen on the back-hoe; and Bill Olkonen driving the tandem; tackle another winter leak. When the photos were taken, the crew had jack-hammered down about 4-1/2 feet but were not yet through the frost. (Note the tooth marks on the sides of the ditch in the back-hoe bucket photo).

Hopefully, they will come down right on the leak and it won't be a chaser (a leak that surfaces away from the actual break) which is quite common when the road is frozen.

Previously the work performed by the hammer-hoe was done by handheld jackhammers.

The Chronicle contacted City Water Department Director Bob Tervonen at about 11:00 AM this morning and he had this to say, "I don't know what it is yet. I got the call early this morning. I got Sammy (Lead-man Sam Fontecchio) over there. We put up barricades and I called for emergency locates. And when I came to work this morning, they already had the crew on site. So, I don't have the details on it. I believe it's a main, but I'm not sure 100%!" Tervonen went on to say that the call came in at 3:50 AM.

Bill Tregembo

(Photos by Steve Frank & Bill Tregembo)