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About Allanburg

Allanburg is the capital of the City of Thorold, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the Welland Canal and Highway 20, both important transportation routes through the Niagara Peninsula. The two cross at a vertical-lift bridge, numbered as Bridge 11 by the Saint Lawrence Seaway Authority, but often known simply as the Allanburg Bridge. The collision of the ship Windoc with the bridge made national news in 2001. == Inception of the Welland Canal == The original sod-turning ceremony for the construction of the First Welland Canal took place in the area on November 30, 1824. Today, a cairn at the west approach to the lift bridge commemorates the event. == Windoc incident == At approximately 20:54 on August 11, 2001, the bulk carrier vessel Windoc struck the descending Allanburg lift bridge. The ship's wheelhouse and funnel were ripped off in the collision, starting a fire on board. Uncontrollable, the vessel drifted downstream and ran aground 800 m from the bridge. Fire fighting units from throughout Niagara Region were involved in the efforts to put out the fire, parking the fire trucks on the canal's banks.There was no loss of life.