09.04.2008

Crane boom buckles

The boom of a 100 ton lattice boomed truck crane with up to 55 metres of boom and fly jib buckled and collapsed on a construction site in downtown Fort Lauderdale yesterday cutting off power to the area but causing no injuries.

The crane owned by Beyel brothers crane and rigging of Riviera Beach, was lifting a skip full of broken concrete blocks and old cement bags, down from the fourth floor of the building when the boom buckled.
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The fallen fly jib

The skip came down into a road intersection but did not hit anyone or anything and with most workers taking a lunch break the area on the roof where the boom came down was almost deserted.

According to both the operator and the head of the emergency rescue services, the crane was overloaded. This in spite of the fact that most, if not all of Beyel’s cranes are fitted with rated load indicators.
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Another view of the scene

The main contractor on site is Current Builders Construction Services of Pompano beach. It said that only minor damage was done to the building and hoped the site would be back to normal by later today.