Seattle’s construction frenzy turned deadly Saturday afternoon when a tower crane working on a new Google campus fell like a thunderbolt from the roof of a South Lake Union building, smashing into six cars and killing four people.

Two ironworkers who were in the crane and two people in separate cars were dead by the time Seattle firefighters got to the site at Fairview Avenue North and Mercer Street around 3:30 p.m., fire officials said. Four others were injured.

Three of them — a 25-year-old woman and her 4-month-old daughter, and a 27-year-old man — were taken to Harborview Medical Center. Remarkably, none of them suffered life-threatening injuries, said hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg. The fourth victim was treated by medics at the scene. The mother and the baby were discharged late Saturday.

The following video shows the fatal April 27, 2019, crane collapse from a dashboard camera and contains explicit language.

The state Department of Labor and Industries is investigating the cause of the accident, which was not known Saturday night. Several witnesses and the National Weather Service reported a storm squall with powerful gusting winds moved through the area at the time the crane was being dismantled, then toppled.

“It was terrifying,” said Esther Nelson, a biotech research assistant who was working in a building nearby and saw the crane fall from a break-room window.

“I looked up. The wind was blowing really strong,” she recalled. She saw boats struggling on Lake Union. Then the crane — she estimated it was maybe eight or nine stories high — broke in half.

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“Half of it was flying down sideways on the building,” she said. “The other half fell down on the street, crossing both lanes of traffic.”

It was the first fatal tower crane collapse in more than a dozen years in the Seattle area, during a period of remarkable growth with skyscrapers sprouting up and cranes dotting the skyline. Much of that construction explosion has occurred in the South Lake Union neighborhood.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office said it would not release the names of the fatalities — three men and a woman — until Monday.

Seattle activated its emergency operations center Saturday afternoon to coordinate the response. Police interviewed witnesses at the nearby Even Hotel.

“This is a tragic day in Seattle with this catastrophic incident in the heart of our city,” Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan said in a statement. “My heart breaks for those who lost loved ones today, and we are praying for strength for those injured.”

Among them were Deyan Cashmere, 20, of Australia, who was in Seattle for cancer treatment. . He was with his father, Eric, 48, and the pair of them had noticed hours before the collapse that the crane was being dismantled. To him, it appeared to be leaning.

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“I thought it was going to fall,” Deyan Cashmere said. “It was at an angle. It wasn’t standing upright.”

Eric “Bruce” Cashmere and Deyan Cashmere were concerned that a crane in South Lake Union was leaning heavily and made this time lapse of it disconnecting from another crane. Later, the crane fell onto Mercer Ave. (Courtesy of Eric “Bruce” Cashmere)

His father took a time-lapse video of the crane. About five minutes later, they heard a loud bang.

“We got up and said, ‘That’s the crane,'” Deyan Cashmere said.

Both he and his father have worked with cranes and machinery in Australia, and said they recognized right away the crane’s weight was not properly distributed. Police took the images from Eric Cashmere’s phone and interviewed the pair.

Corina Berriel, 27, was driving west on Mercer when the crane started falling and hit a black Nissan right behind her.

“The first thing I felt was a jolt from behind,” she said. “It almost felt like an earthquake.” She saw dust and debris falling from the sky. She thought she was about to die.

When she looked in her rearview mirror, she watched a portion of the bright yellow tower hit the car behind her. The vehicle’s rear windows and trunk were crushed but the vehicle was able to move when traffic sped up. Berriel said a woman got out of the car and ran away.

Berriel also saw a couple walking their dog flee the scene, the dog in their arms as they ran. She could see them shaking.

The bright-yellow portion of the crane that crashed to the street landed almost squarely on top of an Audi, virtually cutting the vehicle in half. That car’s occupants were the woman and child.

This eyewitness video shows the scene after a crane working on a South Lake Union project under construction fell Saturday afternoon, pinning cars beneath it and killing four people. (Courtesy of Brandon Ochs)

Alan Van Rosendael said he heard a large crash “like thunder.”

Jane Adler, who lives nearby, said it “started downpouring” and then she heard a loud crash. “I thought it was a jet fighter.” She said she saw multiple people being carried away from the scene, either dead or injured.

The building under construction was badly damaged, with several of its windows punched out by the crane. Insulation and debris could be seen through the smashed windows. A pipe hung from the roof. A section of the crane lay on top of the building.

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The project at Mercer and Fairview is one of the city’s biggest construction projects — at a time, it hosted three cranes at once. It’s being built by the main developer remaking South Lake Union — the late Paul Allen’s Vulcan Real Estate. The general contractor on project is GLY Construction, according to Vulcan.

The four-building, 607,000-square-foot project will house a new Google Seattle campus, and also include about 150 new apartments. Construction began in 2017 and is set to be finished this year. Google had put its name on the building in the last few days.

“Our deepest sympathies go out to the families who have lost loved ones and our hope is that those who have been injured return to full health as soon as possible,” Vulcan said in a statement.

Daren Konopaski, the business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 302, which represents heavy-equipment operators, said 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.”

The National Weather Service said a line of showers moved over Seattle just about the time the crane fell. Meteorologist Jeff Michalski said an observation station on Lake Union showed winds kicked up from the north-northeast with gusts of up to 23 miles per hour at 3:28 p.m., just about the time officials said the crane fell.

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Earlier in the day, around 2 p.m., Mike McQuaid, transportation chair of the South Lake Union Community Council, said he saw the crane being dismantled with the help of a smaller, mobile crane on the Valley Street side of the project.

“Nothing seemed out of the ordinary,” he said.

Later, after the crash, he returned again and saw two sections of the main crane lying on Mercer Street. He heard a construction worker, sobbing, saying he had just lost two of his best friends.

“My heart is broken,” McQuaid said. At the same time, he emphasized that such accidents are extremely rare. “In no way should this deter what we are doing in the community,” he said.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan talks about the crane collapse in South Lake Union as well as the safety record of cranes in Seattle and Bellevue. (Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times)

In November 2006, a tower crane collapsed in Bellevue, damaging three neighboring buildings and killing a Microsoft attorney who was sitting in his living room. The state Department of Labor and Industries cited two companies for workplace-safety violations following an investigation that found a flawed design for the crane’s base.

After Saturday’s collapse, McQuaid said, “We need to find out why this happened so it doesn’t happen again.”

Crane operations and safety expert James Pritchett said that while it’s too early to tell the factors involved in Seattle’s accident, tower-crane collapses are rare and usually occur due to human error.

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“Whenever you’re bringing a tower crane down, my training or expertise is that it’s always got to be very low winds,” added Pritchett, CEO of Alabama-based Crane Experts International and a 35-year veteran of the industry. “It’s really a tender situation. Winds are your enemy. You need to find out beforehand what the anticipated winds are that day. In the event that high winds are occurring, you need to cease operations until they subside. Someone in supervision or management should have taken that into consideration.”

Seattle Times news researcher Miyoko Wolf and staff reporters Mike Rosenberg, Mike Carter, Daniel Beekman, Lewis Kamb and Paige Cornwell contributed to this report.</s>SEATTLE (AP) - A construction crane collapsed Saturday in downtown Seattle, and initial reports indicate it damaged several cars.

The crane collapsed on Mercer Street near Interstate 5 shortly before 4 p.m.

There was no immediate word on any injuries.

The Seattle Times tweeted that several vehicles and a building were damaged.

Tweets from the scene showed the crane collapsed on the street, with vehicles stopped in the vicinity.

All lanes were closed, and motorists were told to avoid the area.

With Amazon and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city.</s>SEATTLE — Four people were killed when a construction crane collapsed Saturday in downtown Seattle, pinning cars underneath.

The four were dead by the time firefighters got to the scene, the Seattle Fire Department said. Other people have been transported to the hospital, the department said.

The crane collapsed near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 shortly after 3 p.m.

“It was terrifying,” Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, told The Seattle Times .

“The wind was blowing really strong,” she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half.

The crane was atop an office building under construction in a densely populated area.

Tweets from the scene showed the crane collapsed on the street, with vehicles stopped in the vicinity.

All lanes were closed, and motorists were told to avoid the area.

With Amazon and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city.</s>Four dead and four injured after crane collapses on Seattle street

Four dead and four injured after crane collapses on Seattle street

Two of those killed were in cars crushed by the crane

Four people have been killed and four injured after a construction crane collapsed on a street in Seattle.

Seattle Fire Department said the four were dead by the time firefighters got to the scene, while three of those injured were taken to hospital.

A fourth person was injured but treated at the scene.

Five cars were pinned underneath the crane when it collapsed near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue shortly after 3pm local time.

Seattle fire chief Harold Scoggins confirmed those who died were two crane operators and two people inside cars.

A 25-year-old mother and her baby and a 28-year-old man are among those injured, but their conditions are not believed to be life-threatening.

The crane was on top of a Google building under construction when it collapsed.

Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher who was working in a building nearby, described the incident as "terrifying".

"The wind was blowing really strong," she said, adding that it appeared the crane had broken in half.

Resident Mark Taylor-Canfield, who was in the area at the time, said: "It became really, really strong wind for a short period of time there.

"It was really gusting and blew my hat off my head and we had a hard time closing the window.

"Right around that time was when we heard the crash."

Officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse, which happened on a busy street.

All lanes have been closed and motorists have been told to avoid the area.

Police spokesperson Eric Greening said all lanes may remain closed until Sunday night.

Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan said her "thoughts and prayers" were with those killed and injured.

Washington state governor Jay Inslee and his wife Trudi also offered their condolences and thanked emergency services for their efforts.

As of January, there were 60 construction cranes in Seattle - more than any other US city.</s>Four people were killed Saturday when a crane plummeted into cars on a downtown Seattle street, authorities said.

The crane fell into traffic and crushed five cars; three people also were injured, the Seattle Fire Department tweeted.

Emergency crews responded to Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue at around 3:30 p.m., NBC affiliate KING5 of Seattle reported.

The crane fell across a building undergoing construction along Mercer Street, according to the station.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan tweeted that there was a "major incident" and asked people to avoid the area. "My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured," she said.</s>Seattle Fire Department spokesman says 4 killed after construction crane falls on street

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle Fire Department spokesman says 4 killed after construction crane falls on street.</s>Four people were killed after a crane collapsed Saturday afternoon, falling onto traffic in downtown Seattle.

The Seattle Fire Department said the one woman and three men were dead before the first firefighters arrived at the scene. Two of the people killed were working on the crane and the other two were inside vehicles crushed by the crane.

Three people were transported to a nearby hospital with injuries, including a mother and her young child, said Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins. The mother and four-month-old will be released from the hospital soon, while a 28-year-old man is in satisfactory condition, according to hospital officials.

The King County Medical Examiner's Office said it would not release names of people who died until Monday.

"It's a horrible day in Seattle when something like this happens right in the heart of our city," Mayor Jenny Durkan said. "Most people have driven down this road at some time in their lives recently, and just out of the blue this happens. But it's a time when we come together because Seattle is a city that rallies around each other."

Emergency crews responded to the scene at Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue around 3:30 p.m. All westbound and eastbound lanes were closed indefinitely.

The crane fell across a building undergoing construction along Mercer Street. The cab of the crane fell onto all lanes of traffic below, trapping several cars underneath.

The Seattle Department of Transportation said Mercer Street would remain closed until Sunday between Fairview Ave N and 9th Avenue N.

Durkan said there are two crane pieces on top of the building that are unstable. They're trying to figure out the safest way to removes those pieces.

Several people told KING 5 that they witnessed crews working to dismantle the crane earlier in the day.

"My heart breaks for the families that have lost someone today," Durkan said.

Vulcan, who manages the construction site, released the following statement:

"We have received and confirmed reports of a tower crane accident at our site on the northwest corner of Mercer and Fairview in Seattle’s South Lake Union neighborhood.

Our deepest sympathies go out to the families who have lost loved ones and our hope is that those who have been injured return to full health as soon as possible.

Our general contractor, GLY, and its sub-contractors are fully cooperating with the authorities investigating this incident."

The cause of the collapse is being investigated. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries will investigate. Durkan said the investigation could take several months.

Seattle police asked that if anyone has video from the scene to send it to them.

The National Weather Service said two observation sites near the crane site recorded wind gusts between 18 and 23 miles per hour although they "would not consider these strong wind gusts," the NWS tweeted.

This story is developing. Check back for updates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.</s>Authorities say four people have died after a construction crane fell onto a street in downtown Seattle on Saturday.

A spokesman from the Seattle Fire Department tells the Seattle Times that four people were dead by the time firefighters arrived. Others were transported to the hospital.

The crane collapsed on Mercer Street near Interstate 5 shortly before 4 p.m.

All eastbound and westbound lanes were closed, and motorists were told to avoid the area.

With Amazon and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city.

A construction crane collapsed in downtown Seattle on Saturday, and initial reports indicate it damaged several cars.

The crane collapsed on Mercer Street near Interstate 5 shortly before 4 p.m.

No word yet on any injuries.

The Seattle Times tweeted that several vehicles and a building were damaged.

Tweets from the scene showed the crane collapsed on the street, with vehicles stopped in the vicinity.

All eastbound and westbound lanes were closed, and motorists were told to avoid the area.

With Amazon and other tech companies increasing their hiring in Seattle, the city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings. As of January there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city.

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)</s>Seattle fire chief says two crane operators and two people inside cars died when a construction crane fell on a street

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle fire chief says two crane operators and two people inside cars died when a construction crane fell on a street.</s>Four people have died after a construction crane collapsed in Seattle, pinning six cars underneath, the city’s fire chief said.

The four were dead by the time firefighters got to the scene, Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said.

Three people – including a mother and her baby – were transported to the hospital, he said.

A fourth person was injured but treated at the scene.

The crane collapsed near the intersection of Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue near Interstate 5 shortly before 3.30pm local time, Mr Scoggins said.

Mr Scoggins said officials do not yet know the cause of the collapse, which happened on a busy street.

“My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured,” Seattle mayor Jenny Durkan said on Twitter.

The crane was atop an office building under construction in a densely populated area.

“It was terrifying,” witness Esther Nelson, a biotech researcher, who was working in a building nearby, told The Seattle Times.

“The wind was blowing really strong,” she said, and added that the crane appeared to break in half.

The city has dozens of construction cranes building office towers and apartment buildings.

As of January, there were about 60 construction cranes in Seattle, more than any other American city.

Mr Scoggins said the injured included a mother and child, and all the injured were taken to Harborview Medical Centre.

A 28-year-old man, a 25-year-old mother and her baby were being evaluated for their injuries, said Susan Gregg, a spokeswoman for Harborview.

None of their injuries are life-threatening, she said.
A construction crane in the South Lake Union of Seattle collapses onto Mercer Street, killing four people.