Blasting at VA medical center site halted after ‘unforeseen incident’ with falling rocks

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Blasting on the site of the new Louisville VA Medical Center on Brownsboro Road has been suspended following a construction incident on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

In a release, the USACE said during blasting on site, fragments of rock and sediment fell onto the Watterson Expressway and nearby properties causing damage.

The rock fragments littered the streets in the neighborhoods adjacent to the construction sites.

Several homes had rocks in their yards, driveways and gutters. Others were pierced and damaged by the rocks.

Word of what happened quickly spread throughout the neighborhood.

“I wish I was here to see it,” Josh Woodrow said. “I feel like it would’ve been a sight to see, but scary at the same time.”

Neighbors told WAVE News they would like more transparency about the work being done in the future, to avoid another incident like this from happening.

“I would love a notification, especially being five houses away,” Woodrow said. “I don’t know if there’s any way to guarantee that that won’t happen every again, but who knows. I don’t feel good about it at all.”

Some rock fragments also flew onto the Watterson Expressway, forcing drivers to swerve out of the way in order to avoid hitting them.

“It almost felt like a meteor shower, yes,” Allison Ogden said. “I honestly felt for a few seconds there that I might be about to die, because that was a large rock. It was maybe about this size and it was headed at pretty high velocity right towards my windshield. So I felt for a few seconds like I could be about to die here.”

No injuries were reported and officials have responded to reports of damage.

The USACE said following the incident, work was halted on site immediately.

Work will continue at the construction site on Wednesday, but blasting activities will remain suspended until proper security measures are in place, according to the release.

Investigation into the incident is underway by the USACE, the prime contractor Walsh-Turner Joint Venture II, and the Kentucky Department of Mines and Minerals.

“Public safety remains our number one priority,” the USACE said.

Construction on the new VA medical center was started on Nov. 11, 2021, and is scheduled to complete in early 2026. The new building will replace the current Robley Rex VA Medical Center on Zorn Avenue.

Anyone who may have had damage due to Tuesday’s incident is asked to contact USACE Public Affairs by emailing LOUVAMCconstruction@usace.army.mil.

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