Worker dies following crane accident that shut I-95 SB lanes for hours in Fort Lauderdale
FORT LAUDERDALE -- Authorities said Tuesday that one of the workers involved in a crane accident on Interstate 95 in Fort Lauderdale has died following the incident that closed the freeway for hours and snarled traffic.
The southbound lanes of I-95 between Sunrise and Broward boulevards reopened Monday night after being closed for much of the day.
Officials said the incident occurred shortly before 11 a.m. when a crane lifting some pilings toppled over when the ground underneath shifted. It hit a cherry picker or an aerial work platform, also known as a bucket truck.
Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan said: "The ground underneath the crane gave way and caused a move in a manner that they had the pilings fall towards the boom the workers were in."
Two workers in the bucket truck fell 30 feet to the ground.
The worker who died had been listed in critical condition following the accident. The other person involved in the accident was listed in stable condition.
Officials have not identified either of the people involved in the accident.
The three firefighters and police officer, who were involved in a crash while responding to the scene, were taken to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries, authorities said.
The accident occurred during the mid-morning commute and resulted in lengthy traffic gridlock with some motorists reporting being stuck for up to an hour in bumper-to-bumper gridlock.
Guadaloupe Flores, who works as an I-95 Express Courier, said, "It was almost two hours that I was stuck in the same spot. It came to a complete stop maybe a quarter mile before the Broward Boulevard exit. It was hot. We were nervous. Is worried I would run out of gas. How is everyone going to get off the highway."
Flores said after two hours, traffic in the southbound lanes was diverted to the northbound lanes and she was able to escape. Now she worries about the injured construction workers.
She said, "I feel so sad for them. I thought something worse happened to them. I sent prayers out to their families. I hope they get better."