UPDATE: May 24, 2023: The four workers injured during Monday’s partial crane collapse in Atlanta have been treated and released from the hospital, according to a statement that general contractor Balfour Beatty US shared with Construction Dive.
The crane, which was stabilized after the incident, will now be dismantled, the company said. Until that time, the site and surrounding area in Midtown will remain closed.
“The Balfour Beatty team, crane engineers, OSHA and local authorities are currently working to develop a crane dismantling plan and timeline to ensure the project site and adjacent residential buildings are safe and secure,” the statement said.
The contractor also said it is working to provide displaced residents with temporary accommodations.
“Balfour Beatty is committed to the safety of the public and the project site and we will continue to work diligently to ensure impacted residents can return home as soon as safely possible,” the statement said. “We continue to work closely with local authorities and OSHA during this thorough investigation into the cause of the incident.”
The story as originally published continues below.
Four construction workers were injured Monday as a result of a partial crane collapse on a Balfour Beatty project in Midtown Atlanta, 11 Alive reported.
Firefighters responded to calls of what they thought was a building fire in the 1000 block of West Peachtree Street, but instead discovered that a crane had partially collapsed. Officials reported four construction workers were injured and transported to the hospital for treatment. Other construction workers thought to have been missing yesterday have been accounted for.
Counterweights dislodged from the crane during a malfunction, falling to the parking deck below, according to a statement from Balfour Beatty.
Balfour Beatty is building the 34-story Kinetic tower in partnership with Toll Brothers, the pair’s third partnership in the Atlanta market. The 500,000-square-foot building will include 239 units and 752 beds for students attending nearby Georgia Tech and Georgia State University. Balfour Beatty lists the project’s value as high as $700 million, with expected completion in 2024.
“The health and welfare of those four workers and their families are of our utmost concern and our thoughts are with them and their families,” read a statement from Balfour Beatty provided to 11 Alive. “The construction site has been closed and the surrounding area has been cordoned off until the safety of the area has been confirmed. We are working closely with local authorities and a thorough investigation into the cause of the incident is underway.”
As a result of the damage, some residents who live in surrounding areas were not allowed to return to their homes. A nearby hotel is keeping rooms blocked off for those impacted.
OSHA has begun looking into the incident, 11 Alive reported. Balfour Beatty did not immediately respond to Construction Dive’s request for additional comments, and it is unclear at this time when work will resume.
