AUSTIN – Nearly a dozen workers escaped with their lives Wednesday morning after a massive crane lifting a large concrete wall collapsed at a construction site in southeast Austin.
Video of the serious construction incident was posted to Reddit -- a public social news aggregation website -- showing the frightening moments when the crane toppled over on its side.
((EDITOR'S NOTE: THERE'S NO SOUND TO THE VIDEO))
The video shows the construction workers standing underneath the crane as it lifts what appears to be a concrete wall until a wire suddenly snaps.
The snapped wire caused the concrete slab to drop and a worker who was standing on the wall to fall.
Final update 2301 E St Elmo Rd. EMS @ATCEMS has transported 2 adult males with non-life threatening injuries. Fire crews have delineated a collapse hazard zone and are preparing to turn scene over to construction company. pic.twitter.com/6NmQNas8hh
— Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) January 10, 2018
As the concrete structure falls, the video shows the crane collapsing while the workers flee the area.
According to the department’s official Twitter page, Austin-Travis County EMS were dispatched just before 9 a.m. to the construction site near the 2300 block of East St. Elmo Road for a reported crane malfunction/accident.
Medics and first responders on scene near 2300 E. St Elmo Rd for reported crane malfunction/accident. 1 pt reported w/ non life threatening injuries so far. Will update as info is available.
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) January 10, 2018
In a tweet sent out by the Austin Fire Department, fire units were initially told that a person was trapped under the crane but was later set free.
Re Rescue Task Force 2301 St Elmo. Construction site accident with overturned crane. Person initially reported to have been trapped under crane is now free. EMS @ATCEMS evaluating 2 patients. Fire crews working on scene safety
— Austin Fire Info (@AustinFireInfo) January 10, 2018
AFD said on its Twitter page, “Fire crews have delineated a collapse hazard zone and are preparing to turn scene over to construction company.”
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According to ATC EMS, only one man was transported to an area hospital with injuries not expected to be life-threatening.
Corrected FINAL 2300 E. St Elmo Rd- 1 of the adult males with injuries refused transport, only 1 male transported to hospital.
— ATCEMS (@ATCEMS) January 10, 2018
Another man who suffered injuries in the accident refused to be transported to the hospital, according to ATC EMS.