24.05.2023

Tower crane counterweight drop

The counterweight from a luffing jib tower crane dropped onto the building below in central Atlanta, Georgia yesterday causing substantial damage to the structural concrete below. Four people were injured in the incident from flying debris - none of them are seriously hurt.
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The two cranes on site - the crane involved is facing the camera

The crane is one of two almost identical units working on the project in the midtown area of the city and there is some concern over the stability of the one that dropped its counterweight.
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The counterweightless crane

Crews worked through the night to move rubble and check the structural integrity of the building as well as the crane. A number of local residents were evacuated from their homes while the checks were carried out.
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Some of the damge to the buildingphoto courtesey Atlanta Fire Rescue

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The local news reports include videos and further information.

UPDATE

We now understand that the main contractor on the site is Balfour Beatty Construction.
A spokesperson for the company said: “We are thankful to report that the four injured workers from yesterday’s incident have been treated and released last night. Our thoughts continue to be with these individuals and their families and we wish them a speedy recovery. The crane at the 1018 West Peachtree construction project was successfully stabilised and now requires dismantling. The Balfour Beatty team, crane engineers, OSHA and local authorities are currently working to develop a crane dismantling plan and timeline to ensure the project site and adjacent residential buildings are safe and secure. The site and surrounding area remain closed until crane dismantling operations are complete and we are partnering with property management to provide displaced residents with secured, temporary accommodations. Balfour Beatty is committed to the safety of the public and the project site and we will continue to work diligently to ensure impacted residents can return home as soon as safely possible. We continue to work closely with local authorities and OSHA during this thorough investigation into the cause of the incident.”