Seattle crane collapse

{{short description|Construction accident in Seattle, Washington}}

{{Infobox event

| image = Google building complex on Mercer Street, Seattle - April 2019.jpg

| image_size =

| image_alt =

| caption = Site of the collapse, seen two days later

| time = 3:28 p.m.

| duration =

| date = {{start date|2019|04|27}}

| location = Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue, Seattle, Washington, United States

| coordinates = {{coord|47|37|29|N|122|20|06|W|region:US-WA_type:event|display=inline,title}}

| type = Crane collapse

| cause =

| casualties1 =

| casualties2 =

| casualties3 =

| reported deaths = 4

| reported injuries = 4

| reported missing =

| reported property damage =

| notes =

}}

File:Google building on Mercer Street in Seattle, after crane damage in April 2019.jpg

On April 27, 2019, at approximately 3:28 p.m. Pacific Time, a construction crane working on a Google office building in Seattle, Washington, United States, collapsed onto Mercer Street, killing four people and injuring four others.{{cite news |last1=Bush |first1=Evan |last2=Shapiro |first2=Nina |date=April 27, 2019 |title=Fallen crane kills four in South Lake Union: 'It was terrifying' |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/fallen-crane-kills-four-in-south-lake-union-it-was-terrifying/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=April 27, 2019}} The crane, which was being dismantled, fell across the street and its median, crushing six cars near the Fairview Avenue intersection. It also damaged the building's roof and eastern facade.{{cite news |last=Sailor |first=Craig |date=April 27, 2019 |title=Four dead after construction crane collapses onto busy Seattle street |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/latest-news/article229770644.html |work=The News Tribune |accessdate=April 27, 2019}} Two of the four victims were ironworkers, while the others, a college student and a former city administrator, were in vehicles on the street.{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Sara Jean |last2=Miletich |first2=Steve |last3=Kamb |first3=Lewis |date=April 29, 2019 |title=Former Seattle employee, North Bend ironworker among victims of crane collapse |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/2-experienced-ironworkers-were-among-4-people-killed-in-seattle-crane-collapse/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=May 1, 2019}}

Several strong gusts of wind were reported in the area, including one recorded at a speed of {{convert|23|mph}} at the time of the collapse. Wind speed was briefly theorized as a factor in the collapse.{{cite news |last=Weise |first=Karen |date=April 28, 2019 |title=Seattle Eyes Its Crane-Filled Skyline After a Deadly Accident |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/28/us/seattle-crane-collapse-accident.html |work=The New York Times |accessdate=May 1, 2019}} The incident was captured in a dashcam video that was posted online the day after the accident, showing the perspective from westbound Mercer Street.{{cite news |last=Guevara |date=April 29, 2019 |title=Dash cam video shows moment crane falls from building in Seattle's South Lake Union |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/Dash-cam-video-crane-fall-Seattle-South-Lake-Union-13803720.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=May 11, 2019}}

Seattle has undergone a construction boom since the Great Recession, tallying 60 cranes in early 2019—the most in one city in the United States at the time.{{cite news |last=Baumann |first=Lisa |date=April 28, 2019 |title='Terrifying': Crane falls on busy Seattle street, killing 4 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/4-dead-after-construction-crane-collapses-in-seattle/2019/04/27/f79dc16c-694c-11e9-a698-2a8f808c9cfb_story.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428015614/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/4-dead-after-construction-crane-collapses-in-seattle/2019/04/27/f79dc16c-694c-11e9-a698-2a8f808c9cfb_story.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 28, 2019 |newspaper=The Washington Post |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=April 27, 2019}} The last local crane incident to include fatalities occurred in November 2006 during construction of the Expedia Building in Bellevue, which killed one person in a nearby building. As a result, Washington adopted laws to enforce stricter crane safety policies, including enhanced operator certification and training.{{cite news |last=Rosenberg |first=Mike |date=April 27, 2019 |title=Seattle's cranes kept coming – and until now, operated safely |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/business/real-estate/seattles-cranes-kept-coming-and-until-now-operated-safely/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=April 27, 2019}}

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries began an investigation into the incident, with cooperation from developer Vulcan, Inc., the City of Seattle, and general contractor GLY Construction.{{cite news |last1=Gutman |first1=David |last2=Groover |first2=Heidi |last3=Gilbert |first3=Daniel |date=April 28, 2019 |title=Investigators open probe into four companies involved in dismantling Seattle crane before deadly collapse |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/investigators-open-probe-into-four-companies-that-were-dismantling-seattle-crane-before-deadly-collapse/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=April 28, 2019}}{{cite news |date=April 27, 2019 |title=Investigation into deadly Seattle crane collapse could take half a year |url=https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/investigation-into-deadly-seattle-crane-collapse-could-take-half-a-year/281-0a08e32c-f26c-4711-9652-17068d05d5d0 |publisher=KING 5 News |accessdate=April 27, 2019}} The collapse's cause was initially unknown, although outside investigators had speculated that the improper removal of pins and bolts during disassembly was a potential cause.{{cite news |last=Lam |first=Kristin |date=April 29, 2019 |title=Deadly Seattle crane collapse was likely caused by human error, experts say |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/29/seattle-crane-collapse-human-error-likely-experts/3623629002/ |work=USA Today |agency=Associated Press |accessdate=May 1, 2019}}{{cite news |last=Gutman |first=David |date=May 13, 2019 |title=What caused Seattle crane to collapse? Experts say a common practice is likely cause |url=https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/what-caused-seattle-crane-to-collapse-experts-say-a-common-practice-is-likely-cause/ |work=The Seattle Times |accessdate=May 13, 2019}} Mercer Street remained shut down for the weekend and re-opened on Monday morning, following removal of the crane and debris to a nearby lot.{{cite news |last=Guevara |first=Natalie |date=April 29, 2019 |title=South Lake Union streets, including Mercer, reopened after crane fell Saturday in Seattle |url=https://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/Mercer-St-Lake-Union-roads-crane-collapse-Seattle-13803857.php |work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer |accessdate=May 1, 2019}}