By The Canadian Press

‘Ice bombs’ on Metro Vancouver bridges damage at least 40 vehicles

Dec 6, 2016 | 2:34 PM

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s transportation minister says his department needs to do more to prevent so-called ice bombs from falling from Metro Vancouver’s bridges and damaging vehicles.

Todd Stone says the Insurance Corp. of B.C. has received 40 claims from people who say falling snow and ice dropped onto their vehicles during Monday’s storm, leaving cracked windshields and dented roofs.

Ten of the claims come from drivers who were travelling over the Port Mann Bridge between Surrey and Coquitlam, and 30 from motorists going over the Alex Fraser Bridge, which spans New Westminster and Delta.

Stone says B.C.’s public auto insurer has never before received so many reports in a single day about snow and ice damage from a bridge.

He says staff are investigating why efforts to keep snow and ice off the bridges failed and working on what can be done better before the next storm, forecast for Thursday.

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Stone says staff will try to prevent ice bombs by using de-icing fluid on the Alex Fraser earlier and more often, and more frequently using devices to sweep snow and ice from the cables of the Port Mann Bridge.

The Canadian Press