MIAMI (WSVN) - Heavy cargo fell hundreds of feet after a crane collapsed at a construction site outside HCA Florida Mercy Hospital, killing one worker and sending four others to the hospital, officials said.
City of Miami Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the deadly crane malfunction, early Saturday afternoon.
“When we arrived at the scene, we found a 200-foot, roughly, crane had collapsed at its highest point,” said Miami Fire Rescue spokesperson Pete Sanchez. “It was carrying a load, landing on workers that were below.”
The incident happened around 12:15 p.m., as work was being done for a renovation project.
“We had a mass casualty Level 1 incident because of the fact that we had five patients that needed evaluation and assessment,” said Sanchez.
Paramedics rushed two construction workers rushed into Mercy Hospital and two others to Ryder Trauma Center.
“The fifth patient, unfortunately, did not survive the injuries and he was pronounced deceased on the scene,” said Sanchez.
On Monday, Miami Police identified the deceased worker as 32-year-old Mario Bladimir Andino.
City of Miami Building Director Asael Marrero told 7News that a piece of the crane collapsed on itself as mechanical equipment was being lifted.
“We are expected to be here throughout the night and possibly all day tomorrow, safely working with the crane company to remove the damaged crane,” said Marrero.
Now several organizations are working together to figure out how this tragedy happened.
“We are conducting an investigation through the Miami Police Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Investigations Unit, together with [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration] and the Miami Dade Medical Examiner Department to find out what happened during this tragic incident,” said Miami Police Assistant Chief Armando Aguilar.
Both of the victims at Mercy Hospital were in serious but stable condition; one of the victims suffered broken lower extremities, and the other suffered a severe cut on his arm. The surviving victims are all expected to recover.
The crane has since been taken down. Labor and delivery patients were relocated while the crane was being removed out of an abundance of caution.
Several patients remain at the hospital. OSHA remains the lead investigation agency on this case.
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