Another Crane, Then Another, Collapses Onto Home in Fort Lauderdale

A crane that was reportedly being used to set up a termite tenting operation fell onto a Fort Lauderdale home last week, causing significant structural damage to the one-story structure.

Hours later, a second crane was brought in to remove the fallen one. It too collapsed under the weight, causing further damage—and likely a costlier insurance claim—on the home in the 800 block of Southeast 8^th Street, a leafy residential neighborhood in the Rio Vista neighborhood, the Miami Herald reported.

Multiple news sites reported that by Friday evening, the wreckage had been successfully removed without further major damage. Crews had to cut on of the fallen crane booms into pieces to move them from the site, WSVN news reported.

No one was home at the house, and no injuries were reported. The homeowners and their insurance company were not named in the local news reports.

Cooper Crane, an equipment rental firm in Florida, was the company that provided the cranes. Inspectors with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the scene Thursday, interviewing workers.

Crane collapses in Florida have been significant sources of insurance claims and claims subrogation litigation in recent years. Florida ranked second nationally in the number of fatal crane accidents, from 2011 to 2017, with 16 fatalities, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates. Texas was ranked first, with 50 fatal injuries.

Photo: A large construction crane that collapsed and crushed a car on Sept. 14, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Crane and Rig Incidents:

Rig at Citadel’s Miami Construction Site Falls; Injures Four

South Florida Crane Collapse Kills 1 Worker, Injuries People on Bridge

Construction-Defect Subrogation on the Rise But it Just Became More Difficult in Florida