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FOUR PEOPLE HAVE died and four others have been injured after a crane collapsed in the US city of Seattle.
The crane “fell from the roof of a building” and hit six vehicles below, near the southern shore of Lake Union in the centre of the city yesterday afternoon, the fire department said.
Three men and one woman were killed – two of whom were operators in the crane.
Of the four people injured, a 27-year-old man, a 25-year-old woman and a four-month-old baby girl were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
“It’s a horrible day in Seattle when something like this happens. But it’s a time when we come together because Seattle is a city that rallies around each other,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said.
The Seattle Times reported the crane was used as part of construction work to build a new Google campus in the city, a fast-growing tech hub famously home to e-commerce giant Amazon.
Officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse.
The business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators, told The Seattle Times he understood the crane was being dismantled when heavy winds moved through the area.
“We don’t know, but that’s what seems to have happened here,” he said. “We are in the process of trying to get information.”
Witness Esher Nelson, who was working in a building nearby, told the newspaper: “It was terrifying. The wind was blowing really strong.”
A Google spokesperson said in a statement that the company was saddened to learn of the accident and that they were in communication with Vulcan, the firm that is managing the site and working with authorities.
With reporting by Associated Press and - © AFP 2019
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The world stands with Hong Kong, China’s fascism is spreading and we need to stand up to them
@Kev: China is communist not fascist
@Kev: fascism is spreading？ how ridiculous is shadow opinions to China .. . I really don’t know what reason guys still have this thought on you mind . . know nothing about history nothing about China. We are all standing with Hong Kong people with their peaceful protest. But obviously not . Now the long term violent is destroying the Hong Kong economic . Tourist doesn’t go . Business is huge effect.
@Wen Qin Joe: wouldn’t be an issue if China kept to “one country two systems” but their totalitarian Pooh beat lookin dictator doesn’t seem too keen on that does he?
Respect to the protestors. Hope it ends better than is likely.
Well done to them, very courageous, hopefully 2020 is the year their demands are met and peace returns to HK.
With Doraemon on their side, hopefully they can defeat this evil.
have your say