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Four people were hospitalized on Monday (September 14) after a crane collapsed onto a busy street in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, causing a dramatic vehicle fire and prompting a complex rescue operation, according to Miami Fire Rescue officials.
The incident happened shortly after 8 a.m. near Southeast 12th Street and Brickell Bay Drive. Video from the scene shows the downed crane and a white SUV next to it engulfed in flames. Robert Hevia, Miami Fire Rescue Chief, said the crane toppled onto the roadway, landing on the SUV’s hood and igniting a fire. The driver, a woman who saw the crane falling, stopped her car, shifted into reverse, and managed to escape through the back of the vehicle as it caught fire.
Three construction workers were also injured. Two workers, ages 29 and 27, were trapped inside a construction storage container—sometimes called a Conex box—when the crane fell on top of it. Emergency crews worked to cut through the container and successfully rescued both men. The third injured worker, the 47-year-old crane operator, jumped out of the crane as it was tipping over.
All four victims—including the SUV driver—were transported to local hospitals with what officials described as minor injuries. No fatalities were reported. All 18 construction workers on site were accounted for, Chief Hevia confirmed.
The crane, described as a piling rig designed to drive columns into the ground for large structures, also crushed two parked cars that were unoccupied.
Authorities have not yet determined what caused the crane to fall. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will investigate the collapse. Brickell Bay Drive remains closed between Southeast 12th and 13th Streets as crews continue to clear the site and assess safety.