Crane collapses at National Cathedral in D.C.

Updated 4:11 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON - A 500-ton crane has fallen at the Washington National Cathedral amid thunderstorms, damaging two buildings and crushing four cars belonging to contractors working at the site.

D.C. fire department spokesman Oscar Mendez says the crane flipped backward about 11 a.m. Wednesday, falling onto three to five cars and cathedral buildings. No one was seriously hurt, though the crane operator was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

Officials were investigating what caused the crane to tip over. Representatives from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were on hand.

Richard Weinberg, a spokesman for the cathedral, said that the crane damaged Herb Cottage, which houses the cathedral's gift shop, and Church House, which houses members of the diocese. All 20 people inside the buildings when the crane collapsed were not hurt, and the cathedral itself was not damaged, Weinberg said.

The cathedral is set to host memorial events for 9/11 starting Friday and continuing this weekend. Weinberg said no decision had been made yet as to whether the events would go on as planned.

Weinberg said the crane was at the cathedral to work on repairs needed because of damage caused by the East Coast earthquake on Aug. 23. The quake damaged the cathedral's limestone exterior towers and some interior areas.

"If it had gone any other direction it would have hit another building, which would have been bad," fire Battalion Chief John Donnelly said.

The crane had just dropped off a load of scaffolding on the central tower and was bringing the boom back down when it collapsed, reports CBS affiliate WUSA.

Emergency crews and repair crews will continue to investigate the cause of the collapse. There will be significant work to lift up the crane, WUSA reports.

The cathedral was completed in 1990.