For several days, the streets of Moore, OK, were littered with debris from the tornado that ravaged the city on May 8, 2003. But now most of that debris – torn chunks of lumber, ripped tree trunks, broken drywall, even pieces of pianos and other personal possessions – are stacked along the edges of driveways, waiting for someone to come and cart it away.

Now the city has announced who will be responsible for removing the debris – and, reminiscent of the aftermath of the tornado that struck here four years ago – it will be the same company driving down many of the same streets.

Silver Star Construction, based in Moore, has been awarded the city contract to remove an estimated 100,000 tons (90,000 t) of debris. Silver Star, which was the second-lowest bidder until the low bidder withdrew its proposal, will charge $33.60 per ton. The company estimates the contract will be worth approximately $3.36 million.

Silver Star began residential debris pickup on May 19, just 11 days after the disaster struck, but residents had been prepared long before. Piles of damaged goods, including pallet-like stacks of wood fencing, lined the streets for more than a week.

Steve Shawn, president of Silver Star Construction, said it will take about 75 days to complete the job.

The City of Moore will pay 25 percent of the contractor’s fee, with the federal government reimbursing the remainder.

On the east side of Oklahoma City, meanwhile, a General Motors assembly plant also is repairing severe damage it received during the same tornado. Kathy Oden, plant spokeswoman, said the storm destroyed 600,000 sq. ft. of roof, 300,000 sq. ft. of siding, more than 2 mi. of fencing, the plant’s main switchboard, and 20,000 ft. of main power cable.

More than 700 vehicles the plant had manufactured were destroyed, while 500 more were damaged and 120 employee cars were found in a mangled heap in the lot. Just across the road from the plant, the United Auto Workers union shop was destroyed, partly by a large mobile building that struck it.

The Washington Group, GM’s general contractor for the repairs, also constructed the factory initially. Teams were assembled within hours of the tornado, Oden said, and now the contractor is working round the clock to complete work by the company’s self-imposed June 30 re-opening date.

After dark, the plant is illuminated with stadium lighting, and 15 to 20 cranes, along with 85 portable generators have been set up to assist in reconstruction. As of June 5, the contractor had already replaced the roofing, siding, 300 tons (2.7 t) of structural steel, 18,000 ft. (5,486 m) of electrical cable, and 8,000 tons (7,200 t) of water-cooling capacity.

Oden said the accomplishment was possible due to the coordination of numerous subcontractors, which included 50 major contracts given to 30 companies, and 1,500 repair workers onsite. Oden said WW Steel, Behr, Siemens, Hydrosolve, Durr, Fanuc and Aqua Tech were some of GM’s key suppliers during the repairs.

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