Breaking Crane Accident News

A 27-year-old subcontractor employee was killed at Hyundai’s car and EV battery plant near Savannah, Georgia, when a load being lifted during truck loading operations fell and struck him. The incident reportedly involved a telehandler, though this has not yet been independently confirmed. The fatality is the third death at the site in two months. Authorities are investigating.

Three men were killed and two others injured when elevated formwork failed during a jump operation at the Port Arthur LNG construction site in Texas. The incident occurred early Tuesday morning at the Bechtel-led project for ConocoPhillips and Sempra Infrastructure. Workers fell approximately 20 metres. OSHA has launched an investigation and all site work has been stopped.

A crane collapsed from the 22nd floor of a high-rise construction site in eastern China during dismantling operations, narrowly missing a worker on the ground. The incident, which resulted in minor injuries and no fatalities, is under investigation by authorities examining dismantling procedures, mechanical integrity, and regulatory compliance. The near-miss highlights safety risks during crane disassembly in dense urban environments.

Two men were injured, one seriously, after a tower crane broke in two at a shipyard in Maasbracht, Limburg, in the Netherlands. The incident occurred at the Tinnemans Shipbuilding yard. One worker was rescued from the tower using a fire service platform. Early indications suggest a possible failure at a tower connection. Authorities are investigating.

Two spider cranes fell approximately 40–50 metres during a rooftop lifting operation on Ninth Avenue in New York City on August 1. A Unic URW-596 spider crane positioned on the roof of a 12-storey building was lifting a second spider crane when it reportedly slipped over the edge, causing both machines to fall onto first-floor scaffolding. No injuries were reported. Authorities are expected to investigate.

A Zoomlion mobile crane suffered a boom failure while lifting a large column, with the boom bending and snapping near the heel pin area. Limited information is available regarding crane configuration, load details, and operating conditions. While the cause has not been confirmed, the incident highlights the importance of structural inspection, lift planning, and adherence to operational limits during heavy lifting operations.

A fatal tower crane collapse has been reported at a construction site in China after a crane fell backward onto a second crane. Video footage shows the crane was not lifting at the time of the incident. The boom and operator’s cabin were destroyed. While it has been reported that an operator died, details regarding the crane model, site conditions, and cause remain unconfirmed.

A major crane incident in Turkey involved an 800-tonne Zoomlion crawler crane and a Liebherr LTM 1800 during a cold box lift. The crawler crane reportedly suffered a structural failure, resulting in separation of the superstructure from the carbody. Both cranes were operated by Sarilar. No injuries were reported. Zoomlion has confirmed a technical investigation is underway to determine the cause.

An STS crane collapsed at Keelung Port’s Pier 20 on October 14 after a heavy-load vessel delivering a new BC-207 STS crane collided with an existing onshore crane. The incident occurred during crane delivery operations for China Container Terminal Corporation. No injuries were reported, though several containers were damaged. Authorities and insurers are investigating the collision and site conditions.

A new Liebherr LTC mobile crane operated by Ainscough Crane Hire was destroyed by fire on the A38 in Plymouth on July 22. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Liebherr and Ainscough. Damage appears concentrated in the engine bay, highlighting ongoing fire risks associated with mobile crane engine compartments, even in well-maintained fleets.

A crane worker who saved a man from burning high-rise in Reading has described how the dramatic rescue unfolded. Two men were rescued...

A large Manitowoc crawler crane dropped a wind turbine hub during installation after an apparent hoist drum brake failure. Video footage shows a sudden jolt, boom flex, and rapid loss of the load. No injuries were reported, though the hub and blades were destroyed. The incident highlights risks tied to hoist braking systems, dynamic loading, and critical lift planning on wind farm projects.

A mobile crane partially collapsed during renovation work at Mercy Hospital in Coconut Grove, Miami, killing one worker and injuring four others. The incident involved a Tadano ATF 130G-5 operated by Sims Crane & Equipment while lifting equipment into the hospital. City officials confirmed no patients were harmed. Authorities are investigating the boom failure near the cathead.