17.03.2009

Load drops onto traffic

A crane working on a new flyover road in the Indian city of Chennai (Madras) dropped its load of steel rods yesterday onto traffic passing below, hitting seven and killing a 50 year old man.

The bundle of rods, said to have weighed around three tonnes, was being lifted onto the overpass when the slings struck against the side of the structure causing them to break, releasing the rods, dumping them on those below.

The accident happened yesterday evening at the site near the Ambattur Industrial Estate to the east of the city centre, the other six passers-by received only minor injuries. All of those hit were riding bicycles or motorbikes.

The main contractor for the flyover is HCC, a local police report says that the crane had implemented a warning to those below, consisting of two red flags warning that lifting was going on overhead.

The police also said that the crane operator has been arrested and that an investigation is ongoing. We do not know what type of crane was involved or the type of slings employed.