26.03.2009

Runaway crane fatality

A tractor driver has died after his tractor was hit by a runaway All Terrain crane near Bradford in the UK. Local reports suggest that the crane’s brakes failed as it travelled down Otley Road into East Morton, near Keighley, Yorkshire.

The crane driver apparently tried slow the crane by steering the crane into a parked BMW, however the crane simply flattened the car and carried on down the hill, out-of-control, knocking down a telegraph pole and ploughing in to the back of the Rota spreader, being towed by the tractor.
Please register to see all images

The crane came to rest only when the hill ran out

The spreader and the tractor jack-knifed, turning the tractor on to its side and throwing the tractor driver from his cab. The man, 44 landed on his head and suffered fatal injuries.

The crane carried on, dragging the spreader with it, until it came to rest at the bottom of the hill. There was little visible damage to the crane and its operator was unhurt. The crane, reportedly a 40 tonner is owned by Slough based Baldwins crane hire, which has a depot in Leeds.