FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A construction worker was rushed to the hospital after a crane collapsed in Fort Lauderdale, Thursday morning.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue was on the scene along the 1800 block of South Ocean Lane near Fort Lauderdale Beach. The crew was repairing the seawall on the Intracoastal Waterway when the crane fell.
A portion of the crane landed on a construction worker’s leg, crushing his foot. Witnesses rushed to the chaotic scene.
“Well, when first I came here earlier, I heard a noise. I heard somebody screaming, somebody yelling,” said witness Paul Ceparano. “So, I run over here and I happen to see the guy pinned under, so the first thing we did was call 911.”
The victim was transported to Broward Health Medical Center, where he is now being treated.
“He was transported awake and oriented with a lot of pain with his foot,” said Fort Lauderdale Fire Marshal Jeff Lucas.
Keith Beck, a witness in the area, said he was out on the balcony with a friend when they heard the crash. Beck said police arrived almost immediately.
“We saw the boom fall down and hit the guy,” said Beck. “We could hear him screaming and I called 911, walked out here – I was walking 911 through what was going on. Police were here within five minutes.”
Tom Krips Construction, the construction company in charge, had been working on the seawall for several weeks and was in the process of taking the crane down when it collapsed.
“We’ve been watching this go on for six, seven, eight, nine weeks. And I’d walk out here daily to look at it,” said Beck.
A representative for the company said the crane was not in operation when the collapse occurred.
“They look like they know what they’re doing. I see everything set up, I didn’t expect nothing like this to happen,” said Ceparano.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is now investigating the incident.
The exact cause of the crane’s collapse is also under investigation.
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