Downtown Fort Lauderdale bridge reopens after partial crane collapse
FORT LAUDERDALE — The Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale reopened Friday morning after part a crane collapsed Thursday afternoon, killing a construction worker and injuring three people on the ground.
A large, blue piece of steel smashed into two cars on the drawbridge, landing on top of a van and crushing the passenger side of the vehicle. The front of a Tesla was also severely damaged.
No signs of the accident were evident Friday except for a remnant of caution tape. Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials were on the way to the scene shortly before 6 p.m. Thursday, and U.S. Coast Guard officials also responded.
When part of the crane fell, workers at the building were in the process of “stepping the crane,” Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan said at a Thursday evening news conference, which is where they add sections to the tower crane to elevate it as the under-construction building grows taller.
Workers stand below the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Friday, April 5, 2024, with sections of crane parts that fell Thursday, killing one worker, during construction on what will be the Gables Riverwalk apartment building. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan said a platform that held equipment failed, sending sections of crane extensions down onto the bridge. The crane itself did not experience the failure, he said. The construction worker who died “had fallen with the load off of the side of the building,” Gollan said. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A car drives over the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale where a metal plate covers a hole in the bridge on Friday, April 5, 2024, from a section of crane parts that fell Thursday, killing one worker, during construction on what will be the Gables Riverwalk apartment building. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan said a platform that held equipment failed, sending sections of crane extensions down onto the bridge. The crane itself did not experience the failure, he said. The construction worker who died “had fallen with the load off of the side of the building,” Gollan said. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Apparent damage is seen on the side of what will be the Gables Riverwalk apartment building on Friday, April 5, 2024. Sections of crane parts fell onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, killing one worker, during construction on the building. Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan said a platform that held equipment failed, sending sections of crane extensions down onto the bridge. The crane itself did not experience the failure, he said. The construction worker who died “had fallen with the load off of the side of the building,” Gollan said. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
People leaving the Broward County courthouse stop to look at part of a crane that dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Doug Thron/Courtesy
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Doug Thron/Courtesy)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Doug Thron/Courtesy
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Doug Thron/Courtesy)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Carline Jean/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)
One person is dead and two are injured after a piece of a crane fell from a few hundred feet down onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday, April 4, 2024. (Courtesy/Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Greg May)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Ryan Reiter/Courtesy)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)
A construction worker was killed and two people were taken to the hospital after a portion of a crane dropped onto the Southeast Third Avenue bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon, April 4, 2024. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)
Gollan said a platform that held equipment failed, sending the items from the platform down onto the bridge. The crane itself did not experience the failure, he said.
The construction worker who died “had fallen with the load off of the side of the building,” Gollan said.
The two who were hospitalized were in stable condition, one with only minor injuries, as of Thursday night. The third person who was injured refused to be taken to the hospital.
Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Bill Schultz said his department will investigate the death of the worker.
This is a developing story, so check back for updates. Click here to have breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.
