A crane at a construction site in Miami's Brickell neighborhood collapsed onto a passing car Monday morning, injuring the driver and three construction workers. The incident, which occurred shortly after 8 a.m., also caused the vehicle to catch fire.
Miami Fire Chief Robert Hevia stated that all four injured individuals were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries. He expressed relief that no fatalities occurred, describing the scene as "impressive" given the circumstances.
One of the injured was the driver of the car that was struck by the falling crane. The crane operator managed to jump clear as the equipment began to tip over. Two other construction workers were also injured.
Crews responded to a complex scene involving both the crane collapse and a subsequent fire. Firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze while a technical rescue team worked to extricate trapped individuals. Officials confirmed that all other workers at the construction site were accounted for.
The cause of the crane collapse, identified as a piling rig, is currently under investigation. A piling rig is a type of crane designed to drive columns into the ground to support large structures.