Crane falls on Texas man in 90-mph winds and causes ‘traumatic’ injuries, lawsuit says
Winds reaching 90 to 100 mph caused a crane to fall on a man’s cement truck at a construction site, severely injuring him, according to a Texas lawsuit.
He’s now suing the companies involved, saying they put “profits over safety” and continued to operate the wind-sensitive cranes during the May 16 thunderstorm that swept across Houston.
The four companies accused — Sesco Cement, ASI Industrial, Lampson International, and McRay Crane & Rigging — did not immediately respond May 21 to McClatchy News’ request for comment.
While sitting in his truck “waiting on direction” at the construction site, the wind caused a crane to topple over on top of the man’s truck, “violently slamming his body” and causing “traumatic” injuries, according to the complaint.
One person was killed during the incident, according to KPRC, and the man suing “miraculously survived” injuries to his head, neck and back, per the lawsuit.
The May 16 windstorm swept across Houston, killing eight and leaving many without power and access to resources, according to NBC and KPRC. Officials are working to restore and repair areas affected throughout the city, according to local police.
The companies accused had knowledge of the incoming weather conditions, according to the lawsuit, yet they continued with the project.
According to the complaint, cranes typically have safety features to ensure they don’t topple over during heavy winds.
“Cranes have wind meters to measure and ensure safe crane operation,” the lawsuit said. These meters give “real-time data regarding wind conditions” to prevent accidents, the lawsuit said.
Despite this, the companies accused continued with the construction project and put workers at risk, Kherkher Garcia law firm said in a May 20 statement.
Attorneys have also requested a restraining order be put in place so that on-site evidence cannot be tampered with.
“It is beyond despicable that the defendants took no actions to provide a safe work environment,” attorney Kevin Haynes said in a statement.
The lawsuit did not specify how much the man is seeking in damages.
This story was originally published May 21, 2024 at 1:41 PM with the headline "Crane falls on Texas man in 90-mph winds and causes ‘traumatic’ injuries, lawsuit says."
