10.07.2007

Runaway demolition ball

A 900mm steel demolition ball weighting 680kgs broke free from a crane after the hoist cable broke yesterday in Meadville, 90 miles north of Pittsburgh.

The crane was demolishing part of a library at Allegheny College in Meadville, after the cable snapped, the crane operator tried to stop it, but it rolled downhill for 1.2 kilometres damaging more than a dozen vehicles as it bounced from curb to curb.
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A students Ford Taurus stopped the ball

Most of the damaged vehicles were parked, but the ball also slammed into the rear of a car stopped at a traffic light pushing it forward six metres into two other cars.

"All of a sudden, the back windshield exploded and I hit the car in front of me," said Alex Habay, 20, a student at Allegheny College driving the car rear ended by the ball.

Thankfully no one was seriously injured in the accident although three people, inclduing the Habay, were taken to hopsital for check ups.