WATCH: One injured in Umdloti crane collapse

Published Aug 14, 2017

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Durban - A construction worker was injured after a tower crane collapsed at a building site near Sibaya Casino in Umdloti on Monday morning. 

Reaction Unit South Africa said in a statement that the crane operator and several others escaped unharmed. 

"At approx 9.50am, members of Reaction Unit South Africa were called out to Ocean Dunes, a construction site, after several employees reported a collapsed crane with fatalities and entrapment. Officers were dispatched to the scene and the RUSA Helicopter lifted off with paramedics onboard."

They said that, upon arrival, officers found several emergency services on scene and that there had been no fatalities or entrapments. 

"One construction worker who fell several floors and struck the crane bars several times suffered serious injuries and was stabilised and transported by paramedics from a private ambulance service."

The crane driver who was descending from the operator's seat at the time of the collapse was not injured, they said.

Blue Security media and community liaison officer Andreas Mathios said the cause of the accident was yet to be determined.

According to eye witnesses, one of the cranes buckled while lifting scaffolding shutters

The operator of an adjacent crane was not in it when the other smashed into it. 

Seemingly still in shock, he declined to speak to The Mercury.

LISTEN: An eyewitness recounts the incident 

He was among the other workers who were present around the site. 

Safety officers were already on-site.

The site manager was unavailable to speak to The Mercury. 

The various contractors on the site, which would also feature a hotel, conference centre and restaurants, streamed in throughout the morning to pick up their employees as the site had been closed following the incident.

The Mercury

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