MIAMI - Tragedy struck on Thursday afternoon as a worker tragically fell to his death and three others were injured when part of a crane collapsed onto a Fort Lauderdale bridge.
The incident occurred around 4:30 p.m. on the SE 3rd Avenue bridge in downtown, close to Las Olas Boulevard.
Aerial footage captured the aftermath, showing a portion of the metal structure resting on a black vehicle, nearly splitting it in half. Another vehicle, a Tesla, was also impacted with visible damage to its front end.
Recounting the harrowing experience, Mark Cerezin, the Tesla driver, shared, "I was crossing the 3rd Avenue Bridge when I felt a sudden compression. I looked up and saw a massive piece of blue metal descending towards me. I hit the brakes, but it was too late. The metal struck the front of my car."
He continued, "Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the metal piece ricocheted and landed on another vehicle. I couldn't believe I had survived the ordeal."
The Fort Lauderdale Incident
Following a tragic accident in Fort Lauderdale, a resident named Cerezin recounted the harrowing experience. He mentioned getting out of his car to assist a bleeding woman, applying compression to help her. Reflecting on the incident, Cerezin expressed his sympathy, acknowledging how easily the situation could have been different.
Meanwhile, Valeriia Becher captured a video moments after a crane collapsed. She was inside a car with her 6-year-old daughter, boyfriend, and sister, just meters away from the disaster. Recounting the event, Becher likened it to a scene from a horror movie, describing the construction detail falling like paper.
Becher also mentioned that a car near hers was hit by part of the crane, prompting her boyfriend to rush over and assist. Reflecting on the fragility of life, she emphasized the importance of living in the present moment.
As of now, the extent of the injuries sustained by the two individuals taken to Broward Health Medical Center remains unknown. Additionally, the identity of the man who tragically lost his life in the accident has not been disclosed. Nearby resident and realtor Jason Taub managed to capture footage of the crane piece being lifted onto a platform at a New River apartment.
Seconds later, the piece fell onto the bridge. "The moment it hit, you could hear screams. It's hard to get out of your head."
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan held a press conference to update the media on what took place. He said the only fatality was a worker who fell along with part of the crane.
Two people were rushed to the hospital and were said to be in stable condition, another refused to be treated.
Gollan said a platform holding equipment failed and fell onto the bridge below.
"It's my understanding from the construction company that they were doing a process at the time called stepping the crane. It was not the crane per se that actually failed. It was a platform that they had equipment staged on that had failed at the time of the incident and those items fell from the building down onto the bridge below."
"The New River is closed in both directions to all marine traffic. The section of the crane that fell did impact the bridge, leaving a hole. So, until such time as the structural integrity of the bridge can be determined, this roadway will be closed," he added.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Fort Lauderdale Police Department are investigating this incident.
