April 10, 2024, 11:48 AM
The crane that crushed the van in Sengkang on Apr. 9 was finally lifted back to its upright position.
Two cranes were deployed in the wee hours of Apr. 10 to hoist the fallen crane along Punggol Road in Sengkang.
Salvaging the crane
At 2am, the crane was still blocking the road, and both sides of the road were inaccessible to traffic.
Photos via Mothership
A crowd gathered to watch the salvage works.
Photo via Mothership
Photo via Mothership
The exercise to return the fallen crane to its upright position began at about 3:15am.
Harnesses were fastened to the base and the boom of the toppled crane.
It took about 10 minutes for the two cranes to hoist the fallen crane up slowly and delicately.
By the time the crane was back upright, it had been over 10 hours since it first fell and crushed the van.
The crowd that gathered to watch the salvage exercise cheered and clapped.
Crane operator arrested
On the afternoon of Apr. 9 at around 4:55pm, a crane fell over sideways and crushed a van.
The toppled crane obstructed all traffic at the junction of Punggol Road and Compassvale Street.
A 28-year-old male van driver sustained injuries and was conveyed conscious to the hospital.
@mothershipsg [UPDATE AT 8:20pm, Apr. 9, 2024] According to The Straits Times, the driver jumped out of the van before it was crushed by the crane. ————— The boom of the crane extended across the width of the road that leads to Punggol. #singapore #sgnews #tiktoksg #sg ♬ original sound - Mothership
Eyewitnesses told The Straits Times the van driver jumped out of the van seconds before the crane crushed his vehicle.
The police said in a media statement that the crane had toppled while the operator was manoeuvring it up the trailer.
The police have arrested a 49-year-old male crane operator for negligent conduct with respect to any machinery, and investigations are ongoing.
In a statement to the media, PUB, Singapore's national water agency, said the crane was operating at a PUB worksite where a new public sewer is under construction.
PUB and its contractor, Building Construction Co. Pte Ltd, are assisting the police and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) with investigations.
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Top photos via Mothership
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