09.10.2011

Boom truck overturns

A boom truck overturned yesterday while lifting a footbridge over the Chehalis River in southern Washington State.

The crane, a 30 ton National boom truck, was removing a 260kg section of a footbridge, the ‘Leudinghaus Bailey Bridge’ for the Washington State Department of Transportation, near Meskill in Lewis County, when it lost stability.

Three minor injuries were reported Kevin Dayton a spokesman for department of transport said: "We are extremely thankful, and fortunate, that no one was seriously hurt".
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The crane overturned while lifting a large but relatively lightweight bridge section

The bridge had been on loan to Lewis County since 2007 when the original bridge was washed away by severe floods.

We have received a reasonably clear photograph from the scene which seems to suggest that the incident may be outrigger related, however a department investigation into the cause is currently underway.