A rare piece of B.C. history is hitting the auction block this weekend – a table said to be fashioned from remnants of the 1958 Second Narrows Bridge collapse.
On June 17 that year, a temporary support beam that had been cut too short buckled, causing much of the rest of the still-under-construction bridge to collapse. The industrial accident left 19 people dead, including one professional diver tasked with retrieving bodies.
The table’s provenance is something of a mystery. Burnaby’s Direct Liquidation purchased it from a North Vancouver company that had used it as a board table for more than two decades. That company purchased it from the builder who said he constructed it with metal and wood salvaged from the historic 1958 collapse, as a tribute to the workers killed.
For those considering a bid, the table measures 11 feet long and 46 inches wide.
"I'm hoping this table will go to a home that honours its significance for those that sacrificed during the tragic collapse of the bridge so our communities could benefit from the magnificent crossing. This table is a sombre reminder of the workers' commitment to their craft," said Jeff Schwarz, owner of Direct Liquidation, in a release.
In 1994, the bridge was renamed the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing in honour of the workers who died.
The table is one of about 700 items going on the online auction block this coming Sunday, June 5, starting at 10 a.m. Registration in advance is required.
