09.09.2009

Crane fight results in fatality

A fight at the top of a 40m tower crane in Abu Dhabi, between the operator and site engineer ended in a fatality. The incident occurred in early August, but we only learnt of it this week from a local reader.

It seems that the crane operator refused to lift a load that he considered to be excessive or dangerous. The site engineer who had ordered the lift became irate when the operator refused to change his mind over the lift and insisted that he go ahead.

The 39 year old engineer became so incensed, after the operator told him that he was “crazy”, that he decided to climb the tower and confront the operator in his cab.

However when he reached the top and confronted the operator a fight ensured and the operator, a 33 year old Asian, is reported to have hit the engineer, with a metal object causing the man to fall to his death.

Colonel Maktoum Al Sharifi, director of the Criminal Investigations Department (at Abu Dhabi Police, is quoted as saying "As the Arab victim reached the crane operator's cab, the operator struck him on the head with a metal object, sending him plunging to the ground".

The initial police report had stated that the man had fallen from the crane because he lost his balance, but further investigation unveiled the argument and the fight.

The crane operator was arrested and apparently confessed that he hit the engineer with a steel object, claiming that he was trying to defend himself.