We first saw this video on Monday and frankly we sat on it. Why? Basically because we were convinced when the cranes fell into a neighborhood and destroyed 20 residences, the death toll would be high and we’d feel terrible having that video on the site. As it turns out, our fears were unfounded because in a twist that can only be described as a miracle, no one was killed in this accident. One man was hospitalized with injuries but no one lost their lives in one of the worst crane catastrophes we have ever seen caught on tape. Initially, several sources were reporting 20 injured people and as it turns out those reports were based on the estimated number of people who could have been home at the time. They were way off.
The cranes were working to remediate a bridge in Holland and they had a large piece of it hanging between them when something caused the load to shift and the massive weight began to favor one crane more than the other. As you will see, the cranes were on a barge sitting in the Rhine when this happened and it is wild to see what happens to the barge when all the weight of the cranes begin to hang off one side. The other thing to watch is the people. Both the people on the barge, the people on the tug boat, and anyone else by the scene. This is a nightmare of disaster movie proportions and they were living it right there in front of them.
We often talk about equipment operators and how they are really worth their weight in gold (the good ones). We have no idea what caused this issue to happen but we do know that the forces involved in these things are only really illustrated when stuff goes wrong like this. The size, scope, and scale of the machines involved, the weight involved, and the destruction wrought when something goes wrong really puts it in perspective.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW TO SEE TWO CRANES COLLAPSE IN HOLLAND
Latest news in the Netherlands is that there are no injured people at all with this accident as far is known. Only a lot damage to the houses, cranes and bridge.
What caused this to happen – space cakes for lunch in the nearest coffee shop that’s what!
Some more info on the crane accident.
http://nos.nl/artikel/2050224-kraanongeluk-alphen-een-reconstructie-in-beeld.html
It’s all in the Dutch language but the 1st video gives us a good impression of the construction site before things went wrong.
Just take a look on this video, published today about a street behind where things went wrong. Look for the shadows and the guy top right corner of the video.
http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/24342208/__Servicemonteur_ontsnapt_aan_dood__.html
Wow, the guy walking by the blue Smart was on the ‘hospital’ side of that accident.
MAJOR – OOPS