16.12.2012

Runaway crane in Bangkok

The boom of a runaway crane brought down numerous overhead cables and telegraph poles in Bangkok, early on Saturday, causing damage to seven cars and one house as well as injuring six people none of them seriously.

Crane driver, Sanguan Kittisakol, 55, was detained by the police and charged with careless driving causing damage to public and private property as well as injury to other people.
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Some of the carnage caused by the crane

Initial reports indicate that the crane was parked at the entrance to a job site with the base boom elevated, the driver had left the cab and the crane, an 80 tonne truck crane, ran away backwards down the street in Bangkok's Yannawa district.
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The crane finally came to rest and remained upright

It took out 28 poles and damaged seven cars causing major chaos dozens of crews and cranes were brought in to repair the damage which we understand was completed overnight.

Vertikal Comment

Why an operator would leave a crane in the street with the boom up and the outriggers too is a mystery. What is amazing is the crane did not overturn at all, it is extremely fortunate that no one was killed or seriously injured in this incident.