UPDATE: State of emergency lifted as Kelowna crane safely removed

(UPDATE: July 22 @ 5:15 am): The final property under evacuation order due to the fatal crane collapse in Kelowna has been lifted.

Emergency officials said the crane has now been safely disassembled and removed.

The area is now safe.

That means the local state of emergency has also been lifted.

Residents of 1450 Bertram Street, however, should only enter the building after 12 pm today, officials added.

"The conditions and logistics associated with re-entry are being managed by the property management group for that address," they explained.

For more, visit cordemergency.ca.

(Original story: July 20 @ 9:40 am): After being evacuated for more than a week, nearly all Kelowna residents displaced by the crane collapse that killed five people can return home today.

“The technical work of removing the remaining portions of the collapsed crane at the construction site in downtown Kelowna is now complete,” explained a Central Okanagan Emergency Operations (CORD) release.

“Site engineers and utilities providers have also completed infrastructure and safety inspections and the evacuation order is being updated accordingly.”

The following addresses are no longer under an evacuation order and residents can return home today:

• 1464 Bertram St.
• 1468 Bertram St.
• 1476 Bertram St.
• 1488 Bertram St.
• 1441 St. Paul St.
• 100, 1449 St. Paul St.
• 101, 1449 St. Paul St.
• 105, 1449 St. Paul St.
• 106 1449 St. Paul St.
• 200 1449 St. Paul St.
• 200A 1449 St. Paul St.
• 201 1449 St. Paul St.
• 202 1449 St. Paul St.
• 203 1449 St. Paul St.
• 203A 1449 St. Paul St.
• 204 1449 St. Paul St.
• 204A 1449 St. Paul St.
• 100 1461 St. Paul St.
• 200 1461 St. Paul St.
• 1471 St. Paul St.

The only property that remains under evacuation order is 1450 Bertram St., an apartment building located on the other side of the alleyway from the construction site.

CORD said that property owners are encouraged to inspect their buildings to ensure safety upon re-entry.

Power has been restored to all properties, but gas will not be restored until later this week for a trio of addresses: 1441 St. Paul St., 1449 St. Paul St. and 1461 St. Paul St.

The devastating crane collapse last Monday claimed the life of four workers, Jared Zook, Cailen Villnes and brothers Patrick and Eric Stemmer, while a worker in a neighbouring office building, Brad Zawislak, was killed as well.