Miami Crane Accident Kills Two Workers

Posted on Mar 31, 2008

Ten days after a similar accident killed seven in New York City, another construction crane fell – this one at a Miami condominium project -- killing two and injuring five on Biscayne Bay, ABC News reported.

This crane fell 30 floors, damaging parts of the condo and a nearby Spanish-tiled roof building the construction contractor used for storage. One construction worker died in the supply house and another died later at the hospital.

Pipe fitter David Martinez was eating lunch on the construction site when the crane started to fall. "It was like a small earthquake," he said. "We looked outside, and we couldn't even see. It took several minutes for the dust to clear.”

Mary Costello of Bovis Lend Lease Holdings Inc. -- management firm of the construction project -- said a subcontractor was raising the crane when a section came loose and fell.

"Our hearts are heavy at this moment for the two deceased individuals, including one of our own employees and the additional injured workers," she said in a statement.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating. Darlene Fossum, an area director for OSHA, said Bovis Lend Lease was a company with an excellent record in safety precaution. OSHA issued five violations against subcontractor Morrow Equipment Co. nine years ago involving problems with digging but not crane operation.

Currently, Florida does not license or regulate construction crane operators but there is legislation in both houses of the state legislature that would change the law. After a fatal crane accident two years ago in Miami, state government officials worked with building industry representatives to draft stricter safety measures for construction crane operators. Those measures go into effect this week.