NAPLES — The boom of a crane collapsed into the Chute River this morning.
No one was injured in the incident, which took place about 11 a.m. on Route 302.
Additional Photos
The crane was being used to rebuild the bridge at the causeway. It appears that the operator, when exiting the cab, hit a lever that engaged the main hoist line. It utlimately flipped the boom over the cab of the crane, which remained in place on its treads, according to Mark Latti, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.
The operator engaged the main hoist line without realizing it, and it moved to the tip of the boom, causing the boom to collapse backward,
The section of Route 302 was closed for about 10 minutes as the boom was removed, according to Firefighter Paul Ratigan.
The part of the boom in the water – a section about 20 feet long – was cut off and removed with another piece of heavy equipment, Latti said.
The collapsed boom did not damage the road or anything else at the site, Latti said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
