Bangkok, Thailand— A tower crane working on a mixed-use high-rise snapped at its mast around 10:30 a.m. and crashed onto a busy traffic lane below, flattening two cars and injuring at least five people.
The site is on Rama IX Road, one of Bangkok's main east-west arteries. The crane, about 40 meters tall, was lifting steel rebar to the 20th floor when witnesses heard a sharp crack. The jib broke free and swung down, hitting power lines before landing across four lanes. The mast then buckled.
Dashcam footage shows cars braking hard as the boom fell. One pickup was directly under it. The driver crawled out with blood on his face. A motorcycle taxi rider said, "I heard metal screaming, then a shadow fell, I swerved, the car next to me disappeared under the crane."
Rescue teams and Metropolitan Electricity Authority workers cut power to the area. Traffic was blocked for two kilometers. Two people were extricated from a crushed sedan. They were conscious but trapped for 40 minutes. Paramedics said their injuries were serious but not life-threatening.
The contractor, a joint venture building a 35-story condo and retail complex, said the crane had passed inspection in August. Workers on site said the crane had been swaying more than usual in recent days and a limit switch had been bypassed to keep work moving. One worker said, "We told the foreman, he said finish the pour first."
Bangkok's Department of Public Works ordered the site closed. Inspectors found the crane's slew ring bolts showed signs of fatigue cracking. The crane's load chart indicated it was operating near maximum radius at the time of failure, which increases stress on the mast.
The city has seen a string of crane accidents this year amid a construction boom. Safety experts say maintenance is often outsourced and checks are paper-based. Penalties for violations are low.
Power was restored to nearby buildings by early afternoon, but the wreckage of the jib remained across the road. A heavy mobile crane was brought in to lift sections.
The road is expected to stay closed until tomorrow. Police are reviewing site logs and questioning the crane operator, who jumped from the cab and survived with a broken leg.
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