During the busy rush hour on a Thursday afternoon, tragedy struck in Fort Lauderdale.
A construction worker lost their life, and two others were hospitalized following a crane collapse onto traffic.
The incident occurred as construction crews were "stepping the crane" on a new high-rise, raising it as the building progressed.
A significant section, described as a platform, came loose and fell to the ground. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan reported that the worker fell with the crane section off the building's side, succumbing to their injuries.
The victim has not been identified. Fortunately, the crane itself remained secured.
The two hospitalized workers are in stable condition, with one sustaining only minor injuries.
A third injured person declined treatment. Authorities expressed gratitude that the incident did not result in more fatalities given the crowded time.
Chief Gollan remarked, "To think that no one that was on the ground was injured is unbelievable, this could have been a lot worse."
Fire rescue units meticulously checked each floor of the building, ensuring the safety of the workers and securing the collapse area.
Mark Cerezin, a witness, described driving along the Southeast Third Avenue bridge when he sensed something was amiss. Suddenly, a massive piece of blue steel fell onto his Tesla, rebounding off the bridge before landing on the car next to his.
He recounted the moment, saying, "I felt some type of compression, and I looked up and I saw this big, huge piece of blue metal coming down and I slammed on the brakes and then it hit the front of my car. It was like slow motion, then that piece of metal bounced in the air and then went to the right and landed on another car.
I couldn’t believe that I was still alive."