Collapse of a crane in Dallas: An expert says that precautions could have prevented the fatal accident

"This crane should not have been backlogged"

About three hours before the crane collapsed, the National Weather Service issued a violent storm alert in the Dallas area.

The highest wind gust recorded at the Dallas Love Field airport was 71 mph, although the wind speed is probably higher at altitude.

But cranes should be able to withstand winds almost twice as strong, Barth said.

"The strong winds have knocked him back and these cranes are able to withstand winds of up to 140 mph," he said.

"Was it installed correctly? These are things that will come out later in the investigation as to why this happened … This crane should not have been stalemate on the back. "

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have been killed and injured and those who have suffered material damage," the company said. "We are mobilizing staff on the site to find out more and, of course, to cooperate fully with the investigating authorities.

What could have been done

Barth said crane companies can prevent disasters during a storm without dismantling the entire crane.

"One of the things I would suggest – and a lot of people do – is that they attach a lot of weight to the crane (so that) the boom can not go back or something like that." , did he declare.

So, why does not it always happen? In his experience investigating previous accidents, Barth said that it was often money or inexperience.

"The industry has grown so fast for cranes that many people are doing their job without proper training," he said.

But fatal crane accidents have recently occurred across the country.

& # 39; He just crossed the building & # 39;

Abbey Kearney, who lives in the Dallas apartment complex, said the disaster had occurred quickly.

"It was like a beautiful sunny day and people were at the pool," she said. "And then, the night fell very quickly and the wind took an extreme force, the night fell, and everything was over in a few seconds."

She saw three umbrellas propel themselves into the air. All the pool furniture has flown into the pool.

Then she saw the crane collapse.

"He just went through the building … like a knife burning in butter," said Kearney. "It goes from the fifth floor to the third floor, as far as I can tell."

The concrete floors of the garage torn like paper. Rows of vehicles fell several floors down and were piled in a mutilated mess.

"There were vertical cars," Kearney said.

While investigators work on the premises Monday, some residents still do not know that their apartments are still intact.

"We do not know how damaged our apartment was," said Sammy Sandquist, who lives with her fiance. "We have no idea of ​​the damage done to any of our vehicles – it's there – it was on the top floor … We do not know if it's at the bottom of the battery."

Sandquist said that she was frustrated to know that there might be ways to avoid the tragedy.

"It really breaks your heart," she says. "You just want to be able to go back in time and make sure that none of this happened in the first place."