17.04.2007

Failed sling causes traffic chaos

Traffic was brought to a standstill last night in Croydon, south London, when one of the chains or cables on a set of slings broke leaving the load dangling precariously from the cranes hook on the three remaining sling 'legs'.

Initial reports said that the luffing tower crane was lifting a container when the chain broke, but local residents report that it is in fact two large concrete panels that are dangling form the hook. It has been confirmed that it was a five tonne concrete skip full of wet concrete.

It seems that rather than lower the load gently to safety it has been left in situ while engineers figure out how to make it safe. The whole of Croydon flyover and Whitgift Street have been closed as a safety precaution
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The crane in Croydon not much detail is visible

Reports say that the sling set was damaged when the operator
struck an obstacle with the load.

Update

Mobile cranes were called in overnight and managed to relieve the tower crane of its load and bring it safely down the ground.

The roads were re-opened before six new day.