A 53-year-old worker is dead and his 19-year-old son is in stable but serious condition after a crane overturned in downtown Montreal.
The incident occurred shortly after 10 a.m. at Rene-Levesque Blvd. and St. Denis St. near UQAM’s Paul-Gerin Lajoie Pavilion.
The 20-metre long crane was attached to a truck – the weight of the fall lifted the truck in a vertical position.
The crane installed on a platform of the truck flipped on to the sidewalk. Police say the workers were window washers atop the platform when it overturned.
The man who died fell over five storeys and became trapped between the ground and the arm of the crane. His death was confirmed on site. His body was trapped for some time as firefighters were required to wait for a second crane to lift it before they could reach the worker.
The teenager is in hospital after suffering a head injury, and is expected to survive. Several people were also treated for shock.
Firefighters and police are on scene to securr the crane in the street. Gas that leaked out of the crane was also contained. About 45 - 50 gallons of gas needed to be absorbed, said Montreal fire department chief of operations Rob Lagace.
The cause of the incident isn’t yet known.
Montreal police are assisting in the investigation that was opened by the CSST workers’ health and safety board.
The identity of the victim is not yet known.
