Tragedy struck a highly populated neighborhood in the Texas state capital when a pair of cranes evidently collided. The Austin crane collision occurred at about 10:40 a.m. in the Mueller neighborhood in the northeast section of the city. In addition to the construction site at which the Austin crane accident occurred, neighboring buildings include a children’s hospital, apartment complex, and shopping center. People were enjoying time in a nearby part at the time of the incident.
Little information was available in the hour immediately following the crane accident. What is known is that 22 were reported injured within an hour after the crane collision. Multiple ambulances were dispatched to the location of the construction site accident. In addition, because of the severity of the accident and the number of injured people, two EMS command units were on the scene.
Within about 30 minutes from the latest Austin crane collision, about half of the 22 people injured were prepped for immediate transport to area hospitals. The severity of the injuries of the individuals rapidly removed to hospitals was unknown. Whether or not the remaining people with injuries will need hospital care is not known.
Emergency personnel were still at work at the construction accident site to ensure that all workers have been accounted for following the crane collision. During the first hour following the crane accident, it was unclear whether all of the injury victims were workers or whether members of the general public sustained injuries as well. In the immediate aftermath of this construction site accident, people in nearby business and residences were directed to temporarily shelter in place for their own safety and well-being.
A harrowing element of the collision involves one of the crane operators trapped at the top of the towering equipment in the crane cabin. Rescue workers were devising a means for bringing the operator down from the top of the crane. No immediate information was available as to whether the trapped crane operator had sustained injuries.
The exact manner in which the Austin crane accident occurred is unclear. What is known is that a pair of cranes were operating at a construction site. For reasons yet known, one of the cranes gave way and partially collapsed. As the crane began to collapse, it collided with the second crane, equipment that was operating normally.
The collision with the second crane appears to have prevented the disabled equipment from collapsing to the ground. Immediately after the accident, the pair of cranes appear to be intertwined. Elements of at least one of the cranes did fall to the ground, pieces of the equipment that evidently are primarily responsible for the injuries sustained by over 20 people.
Local television crew members at the scene have reported that the second crane appears to have sustained little to no damage. Absent being somehow snagged onto the standing second crane, there is a real question as to whether the disabled crane will completely crash to the ground below.
Once all injured individuals have been assisted and transported to the hospital as needed, the focus will be on stabilizing the cranes to prevent further injuries and damage. The area around the construction site has been cordoned off, including traffic on surrounding roadways.
In 2019, Texas earned the dubious distinction as leading the nation in fatal crane accidents. As the noon hour approached after the morning Austin crane collapse, no fatalities had been reported at the Mueller neighborhood construction site.
Austin construction site accidents like this crane collision can result in serious, debilitating, and even fatal injuries. The legal team at The Doan Law Firm at (512) 806-0000 is available around the clock, 24 hours a day, 365 days a week, to provide information about the rights of people injured in crane collapses and other types of construction site accidents. An Austin construction site accident attorney from our firm can provide a comprehensive case evaluation at no charge.
Our offices are located conveniently at:
100 Congress Avenue
Suite 200
Austin, Texas 78701
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