13.01.2011

Fatal tower crane accident in Vietnam

A 50 metre high tower crane toppled over killing its operator and injuring others below in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday.

Dang Van Quang, 24, was using the crane, with a 45 to 50 metre tower and 50 metre jib, to move concrete blocks on a site operated by Vietnam Trading Engineering Construction owned by the ministry of transport.

According to witnesses on site, Van Quang picked up a pallet load of concrete blocks and then when he started to slew the crane shook and went over – possibly close to its foundation - and fell to the ground.
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The fallen tower crane

Of those in the vicinity one man was critically injured. An initial statement by one of the investigators said the crane’s tower was too high and its jib too long for the weight of the loads it was lifting.

From what we understand the crane was freestanding but this is not confirmed.