More than 20 people were injured this morning when two cranes collided at an Austin, Texas, construction site.
Cranes Located at Mueller Mixed-Use Development
The September 16th accident occurred shortly before 9:40 a.m. in the rapidly growing Mueller community of northeast Austin, a mixed-use development that includes a park, a children’s hospital, residential and office space, and a shopping center.
According to media reports, the cranes collided and became entangled several stories above a building under construction, causing one crane to collapse partially. An operator remained inside the cabin more than an hour after the collision, helping to stabilize the crane.
“He’s fine,” Fire Department Capt. Mark Bridge told ABC-13. “There’s no danger to him.”
22 Austin Construction Workers Hurt, One Seriously
One woman living near the construction site was able to hear the collision as she walked outside.
“I heard a crash. It was like pipes falling,” she said. “The police, first-responders were here in minutes.”
At least 22 construction workers were hurt in the incident, most as they attempted to flee to safety. Sixteen were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, including one person listed as serious.
OSHA Investigating Austin Crane Collision
During a news conference earlier today, Capt. Bridge indicated the bases of both cranes were stable. But authorities are trying to keep people out of the area in the event of further collapse.
“This just happened to be two cranes working. We’re not sure how or why, but they did get entangled,” he said. “Since they are attached at the top, we don’t want the wind to cause further problems.”
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is sending inspectors to the construction site.
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