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Meg Roussos / The Dallas Morning News
A construction crane collapsed Saturday at University of Texas at Dallas.
RICHARDSON, Texas -- Two construction workers died when a crane collapsed on the University of Texas at Dallas' Richardson campus Saturday, university officials said.
The accident occurred around 3 p.m. in the 800 block of West Campbell Road in Richardson, NBCDFW.com reported.
The Dallas Morning News reported that Katherine Morales, the university's communications director, said the crane had been used to build a new arts and technology building and was being dismantled when the accident occurred.
The crane came down just as a weather front packing high wind gusts. NBC 5 Meteorologist Grant Johnston said 50-mph winds were blowing at the time, although it is not yet known whether the wind caused the collapse, NBCDFW.com reported.
UT Dallas asked students, staff and faculty to avoid the southeast side of campus.
Two construction workers died when a crane collapsed on the University of Texas at Dallas' Richardson campus. CNBC's Amanda Drury reports.
Campus officials released the following statement:
"There was an accident on the UT Dallas campus Saturday afternoon during the dismantling of a construction crane at the Arts and Technology Building. Two workers with an outside construction company are reported deceased. There are no reports of UT Dallas students, staff, or faculty injured in this accident."
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50 mph winds came just before the crane collapse but it's collapse is not determined?? I would say somebody did not follow guidelines and if you think OSHA is a town in Wisconsin you are in for a rude awakening.
Well can't say what was the cause yet. It's such a tragedy when your just trying to put food on the table and something like this happens. RIP :-(
For a seemingly innocent looking little batch of rain moving East to West into Dallas county, it produced a surprising amount of wind that for a brief time. this was not an approaching dry line or squall line, just a rain cooled mass interacting with very hot air.
That was a poor joke made by me, and would like to say it's a tragedy when these guys just went to work to put food on their tables and end up dead, I wish the families the best and sorry for that stupid comment, no one knows what was the cause at this time. RIP :-( As far as regulation they are there for a reason I'm sure no one would intentionally ignor regulations that could cause someones death. My first comment was edited but it showed my original comment for a few seconds that is why this was posted just below. It was a joke about regulations.
I saw a 100' crane collapse right outside my window at a hospital. It made a lot of noise which lasted for longer than one would expect. I thought at first that it was train derailment. A crane company employee on the ground was killed, even though it occurred just outside the entrance to the E.R..
They crane operater, who was not injured, was beside himself with grief. It was a terrible thing to witness. They had failed to extend and set the outriggers and the entire rig flipped on it's side. Very, very tragic.
The storms that produced the 50 mph winds in the Dallas area "popped up" very quickly. It was a summer heat storm and was not expected to be more than a little thunder, lightening and rain at first. We are south of Dallas, and after it formed, we were warned of high winds and possible small hail. But it disolved as quickly as it formed into a light rain shower.
It is a tragedy for the families of the men killed, but IF the winds caused it, I doubt any wrong doing will be found.
Contruction work and fishermen and miners are the most dangerous jobs, and all construction workers should stand together and show respect for these people there is not enough recognition for the jobs that are really the dangerous ones and some of the ones they go on about being dangerous are some of the safest
In response to everyone not knowing the cause of the tower crane collapse... The evidence is right there in plain sight. If you look at the photo closely to where the tower section is lying on the top of the building structure, you can see that all eight tower bolts were removed and put in the storage position. Whether a freak wind gust occurred or any other kind of weather realted phenomenon, this is not the sole cause --- there is NO WAY, NO HOW that all of the tower bolts should have been removed, especially with the amount of tower that was above the joint. It's a tragedy that was brought on by pure negligence.
Standard procedure on tower crane dismantle is that you remove no less than two tower bolts that are in a diagnol position from each other. NEVER should all eight tower bolts be removed unless an assist crane is attached to the tower.
My condolances to the families...
Mr. Tower Erector, are you blind. The picture I saw there are 2 seperate places for the bolts to go, 4 on each one. NOW.....on the picture there are 3, YES 3 bolts on each one which means NO not all 4 bolts were taken out. Just wanted to help you with your math!!!
my bad i figure a bird nose dive into civilian.
My condolences to the workers families. Looks like bad timing on the part of the crew dismantling the crane. Even with tag lines stabilizing a crane load is challenging in wind. Best to just wait.
Obama has created two more jobs this month.
Such a moronic statement, Pedro.
WAAAAY past moronic. Pedro is wasting oxygen breathing that could be put to much better use.
He (Pedro) couldnt come up with anything better - he was pressured for time - he made sure his comment was on the first page so he just typed anything. Wtg....**F.A.i.L**
if this was in Dallas, then there is a good chance the workers were illegal immigrants.
now there are two more job openings for illegals
Smooth move douche for the politics injection. Now go play on the freeway or go do whatever it is you do. Sofa King We todd Did
Waiting is not an option in a right-to-work state. You get 'er done or get down the road....
Seriously benlomand? You're really going to try and tell me that if Texas was not a right to work state that this sort of thing would not have happened? I don't know how to respond to such a moronic statement.
And what about the crane that collapsed in NYC in April and killed someone? Plenty of libtards and union thugs there.
"Libtards" rolls off the tongue so easily.
Oh well, accidents happen. Gotta make sure we do away with any regulations that still remain for industry!
Much too sarcastic. You make a somewhat valid point about deregulation, then destroy it trying to be witty. Two people died, show some respect.
Not until you take off the hoodie!
No we need more regulations. Look at NYC, regulated up the ass yet there have been several crane collpases over the years. But more regulations means more government and more overpaid bureaucrats so it's no wonder the liberals want it.
My condolences to the families and loved ones of the unfortunate workers affected by the collapse. There is no good reason for some of the distasteful comments. These are real people that have been taken from their families.
i know when there is rain or wind.the iron workers are not on the job.My condolences to my brothers family. Steam Fitter
David, I'm sorry for your loss and I hope your family can find peace with this tragedy.
Deepest condolences from my family to yours.
You dont dismantle a crane in 50 mph winds. Its the worst possible time to do that. Moving and dismantling cranes on buildings is really really touchy. Everything must be in order and its a very slow process at best. Sorry for these guys and their families. Working on a sat means they were probably doing it so that no other workers would be around. I hope that didnt back them into a corner time wise. An old friend told me when I was an 18 yr old working oil rigs, "Never let em put you in a bind". Thanks Jarboe.
working on a saturday usually means so you can get away with not following regulations because osha doesn't work on weekends or anyone else that would have complained and shut them down in high winds. jmo
That's beautiful country but a storm can form really quick and it's a lot of flat ground. It remains to be seen who's fault it is.
I was a construction worker and I feel for the families of the deceased workers. However, this accident being in Tx. tells me this was not a union job and being so the people probably did not have the proper training. Non-union work in Tx. and other states always puts the workers life in danger. Cheap labor out weighs safety in every right to work state.
And the new Workman's Comp won't take care of the families. My condolences to the families.
I am a Union construction heavy equipment mechanic. Union or non-union, both the crane operator and the rigger have to be card carrying certified in order to operate the crane, rig loads, which include the assembly and disassembly . That being said, I think it was just bad timing with weather and nothing more. Quit with the union and non-union rants, it is OSHA that sets the standard and those standards MUST be met. If not, sue the $h!t out of the short cutting contractor.
Beeplus, You have no CLUE for a construction worker....Just because it happend here in TX doesn't mean crap about Union but YES you moron, the company is UNION not that it matters or anything. 2 men that VERY WELL KNEW what they were doing lost their lives doing what they love. Grow up and get a clue. People need to respect these men and their family as well as everyone that does it. It could of been my husband. The men were good men and the man running the job, is a very good man that knows what he is doing and would NEVER put anyones life in danger...my husband has worked for him....will again. My family's thoughts and prayers are with the familys and friends of everyone involved that day.
Condolences and prayers go to the victims' family and friends.
Two men went to work today and died. They died far too young in a tragic accident. There will be investigations by OSHA, Texas Department of Health, and others I am sure. All of it standard protocol for a workplace incident. I understand that.
What I do not understand is how some people can be so callous and dispassionate. Two men left for work and will not be returning home. Their own lives cut short, their families grieving, children growing up without fathers, co-workers and friends processing the loss of their friends who worked on a Saturday just to make up for having the 4th of July off.
Some people are absolutely deplorable.
how sad rather surprised at all of the callous responses, and I am a very devout atheist
My prayers go out to the families.
Even though Texas is a right to work state, crane crews, riggers & handlers ALWAYS perform to the tightest and best standards that I know of. I have worked around a lot of them. These people take no chances. Something must have come loose or the wind did come up without warning. The company in question has a good reputation, at least in my knowledge in the West Texas area.
One of the two men that died was my neighbor. He leaves behind a wife, at least two grown children, several grandchildren and numerous friends and family. He was more than qualified to do the job he was doing. The wind gust came out of nowhere and was gone almost as quick as it came. We live about an hour and a half from Richardson and we felt the gust out here as well. This is such a sudden tragedy for his family as well as the other man's family.
My deepest condolences to your neighbor. It is a terrible tragedy that was probably just an unfortunate accident. Now it's up to his children to take over.
Crane operators have 5 figure incomes and the danger is a part of that. There is not many other professions that are more dangerous. But any death is always tragic and unexpected. My prayers go out for your neighbor.
My condolences to the victims of this terrible tragedy.
I spent some time there in the late 90's working in their "High Energy Laser Lab" (fondly known as the ""HELL" lab. It is a beautiful campus and so sorry to hear about UTD in the news because of this tragedy.
I would hope no one would lay any blame on anyone too quickly. It's very wide open spaces and the weather can sweep in very quickly. Most likely weather related, but don't be too quick to lay blame until you hear more details.
This is Gawds way of fighting back against "Right To Work Laws".
You BetCha.....Fer Sure.
Unions are obama supporters. Unions are replete with thugs and unamerican vermin. Union employees are usually the less qualified to do a job safely and competently. Saw it myself on the last job I worked.
Both of you just shut up. Barny- the last job you worked was probably in Mayberry with Sheriff Andy Taylor.
At best crane work is very dangerous, a sudden gust of wind while the workers are dismantling the crane,can and will kill.I am sure that they,the workers thought that conditions were safe enough to continue work. Never worked on fixed cranes like that but spent almost 15 years working around mobile cranes up to 100 ft booms both mechanical and hydrulic. Weather can change in a moment,and catch some one in the middle of a procedure that is too dangerous to stop and too dangerous to continue.Damned if you do,Damned if you don't
Wood, your right in this line of work you are Damned if you do and Damned if you don't. You can be the best or the worst but when it comes to mother nature you don't have much control.