EVERETT, Wash. — A mobile crane collapsed on a building at the Everett Mall, injuring two people and forcing the evacuation of a nearby business.
Both of the people hurt were construction workers inside the building—one was taken to the hospital, and the other was treated on the scene.
The company that owns the crane could not say what happened Thursday.
The stabilizing arm on the passenger side of the crane cab, closest to the building, appeared to have been pushed in. The front tire on that side also buckled and all of the counterweights that are supposed to keep the crane in place had slid off the machine.
“The next process is the construction company is bringing in a second crane to lift the first crane off the building,” said Rachel Doniger, the public information officer for the Everett Fire Department.
The owner of the crane, Ford Cranes, said they are still trying to figure out what happened and the Washington Department of Labor & Industry says it is investigating what happened.
The building is in the process of a renovation. Building permits show the building is owned by an out-of-country LLC. The company Open Air Adventure Park is leasing the space, according to the records. The plans submitted to the City of Everett show plans for an indoor amusement park.
“It certainly doesn’t happen all the time,” Doniger said, “It’s a rare call for us to respond to.”