Deadly Seattle crane crash could lead to new safety law
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
A crane working on a future Google building in Seattle collapsed in 2019, killing four and injuring three. Photo: Genna Martin/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Five years after a tower crane collapsed in Seattle, killing four people, Washington state legislators are working to pass a law to try to prevent a similar tragedy.
Why it matters: Supporters say the proposal would help protect workers and the public by requiring stricter safety protocols, including the closure of nearby streets when cranes are being assembled or taken apart.
Catch up quick: State regulators cited and fined three companies for their role in the 2019 crane collapse, which killed two workers and two people in cars.
- An investigation found the companies didn't follow the manufacturer's instructions for dismantling the crane, "prematurely removing nearly all of the pins and sleeves that helped hold the crane together," per a 2019 news release.
The latest: A bill in Washington's Legislature would require companies to get a state permit before assembling, disassembling or reconfiguring a tower crane.
- The measure would require that someone who knows the crane's workings oversee any assembly and disassembly, while mandating that local governments coordinate street closures when such work is underway.
- Employers could be found guilty of a criminal misdemeanor if they let someone take apart or assemble a crane without qualified supervision, or fail to follow a manufacturer's disassembly instructions.
What they're saying: "The incident that claimed the lives of our loved ones was entirely preventable," Andrea Wang, whose daughter, Sarah Pantip Wong, died in the crane collapse, told a state House committee last month.
- Wong, a 19-year-old Seattle Pacific University student, was riding in a car near where the crane was being disassembled when debris from the collapse hit her.
- Longtime Seattle city worker Alan Justad also died while driving by the construction site, a future Google office building on Mercer Street and Fairview Avenue North.
- "If Mercer Street had been closed for just the few hours during disassembly on April 27, 2019, our daughter and Mr. Justad would be here with us today," Andrea Wang told lawmakers during last month's public hearing.
State of play: The proposal has garnered little opposition, passing the state Senate unanimously this month.
- The measure, House Bill 2022, previously cleared the state House, but needs to go back for a final vote on amendments that were added by the Senate.
What's next: A final vote is expected before the Legislature's scheduled adjournment on March 7.