Crane Collapse in Florida Sends Workers Running for Their Lives: Near Miss Could Have Had Catastrophic Consequences

A crane collapse at the site of a new police headquarters in Florida, barely missed workers on the ground of the construction site. You can see in this video workers scattering and running as the crane boom and its load descend towards the workers below.

The Tampa Bay Times reports the crane was carrying a scissor lift weighing about 1,000 pounds. A worker told the newspaper that an operator who was inside the crane when it collapsed “limped away” after it fell.

No details yet on why the crane collapsed, but it’s certain an investigation is in the very near future. Investigators will review the crane’s maintenance records, the crane operator’s training and qualifications, as well as the load the crane was hoisting and numerous other factors during their investigation.

The workers on the ground were lucky to get away with their lives. It’s a sobering reminder to stay out of the crane’s swing radius and never walk under the boom or a suspended load.