Federal job safety officials have initiated an investigation into the crane collapse in downtown Fort Lauderdale that resulted in the tragic death of one worker, leaving three others injured and causing traffic delays during the morning rush hour.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will be conducting the investigation to determine the cause of the collapse that occurred on a bridge crossing the New River near the Broward County Courthouse on Thursday afternoon. The collapse resulted in the crushing of two cars on the bridge.
Despite the incident, the bridge reopened after the morning rush hour, and operations at the courthouse remained unaffected.
One of the individuals affected by the collapse, Mark Cerezin, recounted the terrifying moment when a large piece of steel struck his car after he sensed something was wrong and hit the brakes. He expressed gratitude for being able to walk away from the incident unharmed.
The worker who tragically lost his life in the collapse was identified as Jorge De La Torre, 27, who was working on a construction site when the crane collapsed, causing him to fall.
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One injured individual remains hospitalized, while another has been released. The third person received treatment at the scene.
The companies under investigation by OSHA include Phoenix Rigging & Erecting, Kast Construction, and Maxim Crane Works. Phoenix Rigging declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation, while Kast and Maxim have not responded to requests for comment.
