1 dead, 3 injured after crane collapse at Fort Lauderdale work site

Stream FOX 35 News

ORLANDO, Fla. - One person has died, and three others were injured following a crane collapse in South Florida.

Fort Lauderdale Police and Fire Rescue responded to the SE 3rd Ave. bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale around 4:30 p.m., Tuesday.

A worker died from his injuries after falling several feet from a building that is under construction, while two people on the bridge were taken to Broward Health Medical Center, according to officials.  A third person who was injured at the scene refused treatment.

Early Thursday evening, the bridge remained closed to traffic, and the New River was also closed in both directions to boat traffic.

"Right now, the construction site is shut down, all the workers are accounted for, and all the other workers are safe," said Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Bill Schultz.

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The Fort Lauderdale Police Department is investigating the worker's death in concert with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which will investigate the work site incident. All nearby buildings have been deemed safe.

Authorities said the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) was working with the U.S. Coast Guard to assess any damage to the bridge.

"When the section of the crane fell, it did impact the bridge, leaving a hole in the bridge, so until such time as the structural integrity of the bridge can be determined, this roadway will remain closed," explained Chief Stephen Gollan of the Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue (FLFR) Department.

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Chief Gollan said the construction company informed him they were performing a process known as "stepping" the crane when the incident occurred.

One person has died, and three others were injured following a crane collapse in Fort Lauderdale. 

"It was not the crane, per se, that actually failed; it was a platform they had equipment staged on that failed," he said. "Those items fell from up on the building down to the bridge below."

Chief Gollan said the collapse happened during the busy rush hour in downtown Fort Lauderdale and thought it was "unbelievable" that more people were not injured. 

"With the amount of cars and traffic backed up, this could have been a lot worse," he added.