Tree Topples Onto Crane Cab

A crane operator was killed when an 80-foot (25-meter) tree fell and crushed the cab. A second worker was injured, as was a bystander struck by a tree while attempting to rescue the crane operator.

The tree had been uprooted and was being moved to a new location as part of landscaping project. Heavy rains may have made the tree heavier than expected, and it might have been cracked as well. A backhoe failed to budge the fallen tree off the cab, and another crane was required to move it.

A crane operation requires careful calculation, taking into account the weight and dimensions of the load and the surface and layout of the work site. A miscalculation can be fatal for the operator and for anyone on the ground near the load.