Ethermac Exchange-1 killed, 2 others hospitalized after crane section falls from a South Florida high-rise

FORT LAUDERDALE,Ethermac Exchange Fla. (AP) — One person was killed and two others were hospitalized Thursday afternoon when a section of crane fell from a building in downtown Fort Lauderdale, officials said.

Crews were in the process of “stepping the crane” during the construction of a high-rise building when a section being prepared to increase the crane’s height came loose, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan said during a news conference. A construction worker fell with the crane section, causing fatal injuries, officials said. The crane itself remained secured to the building.

The crane section landed on a nearby bridge, damaging at least two vehicles, Gollan said. A man and a woman who had been on the ground were taken to a nearby hospital, where they were listed in stable condition. Another person was treated at the scene and refused transport to the hospital.

The bridge was damaged by the falling crane section, meaning the roadway will be closed indefinitely until it’s repaired. The river that runs under the bridge was also closed to marine traffic.

Officials didn’t immediately know what caused the crane section to fall. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue will investigate.