Crane Collapse Kills Four People in Seattle

Construction has been booming in Florida recently, with high rises going up around the state. A recent construction accident across the country in Seattle, however, is a timely reminder of just how dangerous job sites can be. And, unfortunately, many innocent members of the public end up injured.

If you or someone you care about has been hurt at or near a construction site, please contact an attorney right away. You might be entitled to compensation.

High Winds to Blame?

The crane that fell was atop Google’s new campus in Seattle on one of the busiest streets in the city. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, high winds caused the crane to come crashing down. Emergency personnel rushed to the scene, but four people had died. Two of them were construction workers who had been inside the crane at the time of collapse. The other two victims were in a vehicle that was struck.

Several other people were also injured. A 25-year-old mother and her baby daughter who were sitting in a car that was smashed on the passenger side but managed to escape with only minor injuries. Two other people were also injured, one of whom was taken to the hospital.

The crane collapsed at the intersection of Fairview Avenue and Mercer, which is in the South Lake Union neighborhood. The crane collapsed just before 3:30 pm. It is one of 60 construction cranes in operation in the city.

Is Someone to Blame for this Accident?

Although the media is blaming high winds for the crane crashing down, other people or entities could also be responsible. We can only speculate, but sometimes cranes crash for the following reasons:

• They are not adequately anchored.
• They are used in a negligent manner.
• The crane has a defect that renders it unstable.

If any of these are true and contributed to the crash, then injured victims could possibly bring a lawsuit against the construction worker, the general contractor, or the crane manufacturer.

An investigation into the Seattle accident is ongoing. Several witnesses reported that the crane was being dismantled when it collapsed. One witness even reported that the crane snapped in half.

Crane Accidents are Not Rare

Crane accidents are some of the most horrific accidents, given the weight of the crane. When it falls into buildings or the road, innocent people can be crushed to death. This is not the first crane collapse in Seattle. A crane that fell in 2006 crushed a Microsoft attorney who was sitting in his living room.

Closer to home, a construction crane collapsed in April 2018 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Fortunately, no one was hurt. Two people were injured when a construction crane collapsed in Lauderhill, Florida, in 2018 at it crashed into the roof of a nearby home.

Daytona Beach Construction Accident Attorneys

If you have suffered an injury at a construction site, call Bundza & Rodriguez today. Our attorneys have helped injured victims receive millions of dollars in compensation, and we are eager to help you, too.

For more information, schedule a free consultation with one of our Daytona Beach construction site accident attorneys. You can call 386-252-5170 or send us an online message.

Resource:

stltoday.com/news/national/crane-falls-on-busy-seattle-street-during-storm-killing/article_b8443707-3803-53fd-be82-8b9ab08f34b4.html