– They have been very lucky, without a doubt. That’s what Jørn Morten Sletta, who is the head of the police department in Nord-Gudbrandsdalen, says. Almost two weeks ago, a Swiss couple got a real surprise when they were to spend the night above Rosten in Sel municipality. They drove onto a forest road up the valley side and parked the motorhome. – When they sat in the caravan part, they heard some noises, and decided to go out and see. Then they saw a huge rock coming out of the forest which then hit the car and pulverized the cab completely, says Sletta. The stone had slipped down the mountainside, and only stopped when it hit the motorhome. It was Gudbrandsdølen Dagningen who first mentioned the case. MAJOR DAMAGE: The stone smashed large parts of the cab. Photo: Even Lusæter / news Did not want to remove the motorhome The foreign couple immediately alerted the police, who came up and summoned car salvors. – Then the problem was discovered, says Sletta. Ove Geir Thoresen in Gudbrandsdalen Bilberging considered it completely inappropriate to remove the motorhome – which had parts of the stone on top of it. HEAVY: Ove Geir Thoresen in Gudbrandsdalen Bilberging estimates that the stone is between 12-15 tonnes. Photo: Even Lusæter / news – We would not touch the motorhome and take responsibility in case it should roll straight down towards E6, says Thoresen, who estimates that the stone is between 12 and 15 tons. – Great potential for damage Both the stone and the motorhome are still there. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration was recently on site with a geologist and concluded that there is no danger of it slipping away as it is now. But the motorhome must be removed in some way. – We have considered that we must spike up the stone into smaller pieces, so that it can be made harmless, says Asbjørn Stensrud, who is section manager for operations in the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. When this work is to be carried out, it may be relevant to close E6 for a short period. – If a large rock thunders down towards E6, the potential for damage is great, he says. OUTSIDE: The stone can do great damage if it takes the trip down to the E6, which is located just below. Photo: Even Lusæter / news The work of removing the stone will be completed during the next week. – It was dramatic for them. What matters most is that they did well, says Stensrud. JUST OVER E6: The motorhome was hit by the stone on a forest road just above E6 in Sel municipality in Gudbrandsdalen.
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– They have been very lucky – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
