Tag Archives: industrial
Mr. Clean
All abandoned buildings have a distinct smell, a mix of mold, stagnant air and other healthy particles that fill your lungs everytime you go exploring. True, you can wear a respirator to protect yourself, and you can wear a harness when you climb cranes. But the truth of the matter is, this is not a safe hobby, some people explore just for the sole reason that it IS dangerous and risky. If being safe and secure is your thing, you picked the wrong hobby and should probably stay at home in the comfort of your own home.
Derelict industrial sites are notorious for nasty leftover hazards. Although the massive complex at the foot of the Don River in Toronto is industrial, they made soap, detergents and other cleaning products so instead of the standard abandonment smell, the air is filled with the smell of cleaning agents. Although many cleaning products are designed to smell pleasant, the constant cleanliness was nauseating.
Le silophone
Grain Elevator 5, otherwise known as Silo 5 is a very intimidating structure. The 1/4 mile long hulking mass of abandonment is situated in the Port of Montreal right next to the downtown core. There were no shortages of rumours about the Port Authority arresting people on site, but strangePlaces and I decided to attempt it anyways. We had approached the location with some information from a scouting trip a few weeks before. Carrying about 50 pounds of equipment including climbing gear, cameras, sleeping bags & food we climbed over 3 barbed wire fences. All access from the ground floor looked to be sealed, so we made use of our rope and entered from another avenue. It was late by the time we finally got inside, and we quickly unpacked and got some sleep.
We awoke early the next morning and were anxious to get underway and see the interior. We slowly made our way though each floor, and after lunch we headed for the roof. Just as we reach the top floor, an explorer’s worst nightmare came true. A motion sensor and camera are pointed right as us as we turn a corner. The motion sensor immediately blinks red. GAME OVER.
We were certain that there were alarm bells ringing back at the guard hut. Our options were limited, it was daylight outside, and we couldn’t exactly make a speedy exit out the front door. We decided to hide in some sort of giant funnel at the base of one of the silos. Within 3 minutes we hear a truck pull up beside the building outside. A million things are racing though my head, will they enter the building? do they have dogs? and what the hell is in this place that makes it worth securing? we hear the a car door open and someone walks up to the building and rattles one of the doors on the ground floor. After a couple of minutes the car door slams shut again and the car drives off. It was a close call, but we were safe.
