Full Breakdown
Two Cranes Collapse onto Fort Lauderdale Home; No Injuries Reported
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident Overview
On Thursday morning, around 9:15 a.m., a truck-mounted crane fell onto the roof of a single-family home in the 800 block of Southeast 8th Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While fire crews worked to lift the first crane, a second crane brought in for the removal also toppled onto the same structure. The incidents left the garage’s Spanish-tile roof and the parapet wall heavily damaged and caused a diesel fuel leak that required Hazmat response. No injuries were reported.
Emergency Response and Investigation
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue arrived within minutes. Spokesman Frank Guzman said the house sustained “significant structural damage.” Battalion Chief Ariel Alvarez confirmed the roof damage, noting the crane’s boom rested on the roof. The department called a fire inspector and the city’s building inspector to assess structural safety. Chief Stephen Gollan explained that crews would need to “deconstruct what has taken place” and “methodically remove the pieces,” including cutting the secondary crane because it could not be re-tracked. A Hazmat team addressed the diesel leak, and the removal effort continued into Friday morning, with the broken crane placed in the front yard.
Property Damage and Ongoing Cleanup
The homeowner, who had been remodeling the property for months, now faces extensive roof and water damage. The second crane’s collapse compounded the initial damage, splitting the garage roof and compromising the building’s integrity. Neighbors gathered as crews worked to dismantle both cranes and secure the site.
Official Statements & Responses
Cooper Crane, the company that owned the equipment, issued a statement expressing relief that “no one was hurt” and noting cooperation with the property owner, authorities, and its insurance carrier. The fire department emphasized safety and the need for a careful, step-by-step removal process.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We’re relieved that no one was hurt. We’re cooperating with the property owner, authorities, and our insurance carrier,” — Cooper Crane
- “Crews, when they got here, they were able to report that a crane had fallen into a house and caused a significant amount of damage to the roof of the structure,” — FLFR Battalion Chief Ariel
- “We have to deconstruct what has taken place here to get it back to a safe situation,” — FLFR Chief Stephen Gollan, said FLFR chief
- “Methodically remove the pieces that have happened. Part of that will require cutting the secondary crane because of the damage to that crane, we won’t be able to retrack that. Once that has been removed, then they’ll focus on the initial crane incident and up righting that crane,” — Stephen Gollan, said FLFR chief
- “It diluted all the ground and all the structure that was underneath the bricks,” — Mike