Updated at 12:40pm with news of one death and 3:13pm with comments from crane owner.
At least one person has been killed and three people injured after part of a construction crane collapsed near F Ring this morning, the manager of the company that planned to use the crane has said.
Witnesses who spoke to Doha News said the crane fell across both sides of traffic near the old Airforce Roundabout around 10am, creating massive traffic backups in the area.
One motorist said she saw an ambulance onsite treating people for their wounds.
Several photos of the scene being passed around on social media show a body covered in a blue sheet and blood splattered on the crane crash site.
What happened
According to an official from local construction company MedGulf, which owned the crane, a subcontractor had been in the middle of installing the device when it toppled over.
He told Doha News that the crane had not yet been operational, and that the windy weather may have contributed to the collapse. One of the people who was working on the installation was killed, he added.
The company and police are investigating the accident, the manager said, continuing:
“God rest his soul in peace and we sincerely hope something like this doesn’t happen in the future.”
Several hours after the accident, the Ministry of Interior commented that police were on site to direct traffic, but did not say how many injuries and fatalities occurred.
An accident led to partial closure of road from Air Force signal to Parachute signal, authorities taking procedures to ensure traffic flow.
— Ministry of Interior (@MOI_QatarEn) May 17, 2015
As police work to clear the crane, traffic was being rerouted onto F-Ring Road through side streets.
Thoughts?
A clear safety violation.
I believe the words you’re looking for are “criminal negligence”
wow,thats scary
5 Egyptians were killed and 10 injured
Really? I hope not. Wasn’t it awfully windy to be up crane this morning?
Is this confirmed? Poor souls. May they rest in peace.
We spoke to a manager at the company that owns the crane – he said one person was killed, and three injured.
Innalilah wa inna ilahi rajihoon
Best not to make presumptions on the religion of others
Troll
I accept you may not like my observation about your religious comment, but that doesn’t make me a troll.
Troll
You are now acting just like a troll…trying to provoke a response with a ridiculous statement / accusation. Have a nice day.
What he says has no bearing on what religion the person was. He’s a Muslim, he’s entitled to say what Muslims say. Don’t see what the problem is.
The point he is trying to make is not everyone believes in this statement. This may be his belief, but not the belief of others. For example; I am an aethiest. I do not believe in any god, therefore when I am dead I am dead and I won’t be going back to anyone.
Ok fine that’s what you believe and he believes in what he believes, isn’t tolerance and free speech about allowing people to make statements so long as they don’t directly offend you or harm you?
Are you now saying that any mention of God offends you and hence no one with a belief in God is allowed to mention God in your presence or anywhere where your presence may be. Isn’t that more or reducing freedom of speech and belief?
Yes I agree, but Pete just made the point that not everyone believes the same thing… Then he was branded a troll. That is offensive.
This is DN and Qatar – free speech is not a strong point of either so why bring it up?
but you are not dead now, so whats the problem?
No but some poor bugger is!!!
Child
Troll
Deleting for attacking.
You couldn’t help it could you? You had to take a dig at Islam! I pity your fickle brain!
I would love you to explain how my comment is a dig at Islam. And look up the meaning of fickle before using it as as an adjective to describe my brain.
I believe it was in no way a dig. If anything, you could say that he was referencing to the attitude that usually leads to these types of incidents and that is the general belief that we are somehow shielded and protected by a higher authority, attitude that, no matter which side of the barricades you’re one you must agree does not absolve humans of the need to ensure all measures are taken to prevent it. Otherwise it is like a taunt which goes against all principles be they religious or not. I’ve seen you being apologetic/protective of things and I applaud your effort as sometimes I try my best to do the same but you must also be able to choose your moments otherwise you end up like that person in a crowd (trying to clap anything) that is humiliatingly left alone due to his/her own over-ambitious attitude.
It was in now way a dig at a religion. How could you say that?
God didn’t do a good job of saving the poor man in the first place.
Innalilah wa inna ilahi rajihoon.. I am daily watching cranes while moving from madina khalifa to west bay… There are many cranes on my head… It is very scary…. Take some action or seal the area where construction work is going on… public need safety….
.
whats news now about crane this is our company crane plz infome me
what is your company name, i have a good opportunity for you!
http://www.nftcrane.com
NFT Specialized in Tower Cranes LLC
Invite your kind attention on below concern too…
Rasheed Arakkal • 15 hours ago
Kindly please attention the concern authority: another disaster is waiting
Project name : Dubai tower
Location : corniche
More than 6 tower cranes is not maintaining last 6 years and project is hold please have look and avoid accidents
Shabina, in an article about this incident @ Qatar Living, there are comments from eyewitness stating that the casualties were more than what is reported.
http://www.qatarliving.com/forum/news/posts/crane-crash-old-airport-road-least-one-dead
Oh no 🙁 Pls pls implement proper safety
First implement a mindset that peoples lives are more important than Qatari’s inferiority complex and its need to build things to feel accepted. Qatar is like a 14 year old girl that is always trying her best to mix with the older crowd, but just doesn’t realize its better to just accept who you are. Its so sad.
I also share your thought, however my problem is with Indians. I think Indians do stuff that low IQ people do because of the uneducated environment they come from. I also think that India as a whole is like the smelly kid in class that no one wants to be friends with. Of course, this comment is just a reflection of yours. Bet this won’t pass Shabina’s next scan, your did since she commented 1 hour after it.
I am amazed at comment that Indians come from a uneducated environment and likened them to a smelly kid.
well I think only a moron could make those statements. By the way I am not Indian.
I think that the person who wrore those comments has a low IQ…..
Dunno what’s the connection of one country with a Crane falling down…
with people like you around, there is no need for anyone with low IQ here.
Deleting for stereotyping.
Terrible. Should never happen.
And in an ‘advanced nation’ (due here in 15 years time) it never will happen. Or perhaps ……
I saw cranes few days backs dangling over the streets of Abu humour (the infinite flyover project!! ) heading towards barwa commercial Ave. I was wondering when are they going to crush a passing car…sorry for the lost souls but no apology can justify the non stopping safety crimes committed against residents!
Kindly please attention the concern authority: another disaster is waiting
Project name : Dubai tower
Location : corniche
More than 6 tower cranes is not maintaining last 6 years and project is hold please have look and avoid accidents
I agree… i believe there is no proper maintenance or inspection being conducted from the past years it was kept on hold. There is a high risk that those cranes may fall and resulted to disaster.
Its a disgrace that proper safety processes are not being followed or the procedures don’t exist at all. The dead and injured persons might have been you or me passing through because of someone else’s carelessness and unsafe work and safety practices
Sadly, despite there being regulations in place, H&S is casually flouted every day of the week, on projects of all sizes. I pass a construction site every day and look aghast at the guys 5 floors up in sandals and casual gear, not a hard hat to be seen, no perimeter wires, no harnesses. nothing. Where is the hotline to report this.?
What are the penalties?
That’s crazy if true! I have been working in the construction industry in Qatar for 2 years and I have never seen something like that. You should snap photos if possible and report them. I think its the municipality, but not sure to be honest.
This is certainly true. You will perhaps not see it on the major office towers that are put up or any high profile government building, but look out for the medium level buildings that are around Al Saad you can easily see this occurring.
What about the cranes over the abandoned Dubai tower in Dafna ?
Why assemble a crane in this wind?
Ehm, the block of Al Thumama has not a single exit to Fring.the only way was to go back to Al Thumama roundabout to join back the fring. I needed 1 hour to go to Al Wakrah. The police just cut the traffic on airport road or now old airport road. The rest was up to the driver. Hopefully there will be investigation.
You can talk about failures in H&S forever but one of the major causes of accidents on construction sites is the pressure resulting from unrealistic project programmes and draconian penalties for missing targets – and nowhere in the world is that more true than in the Middle East. Installing the first half of a tower crane jib puts enormous pressure on the tower which is only balanced when the rear half is in place, and the last thing you need to be doing is installing it in high winds. I’m pretty sure that in those conditions many contractors wouldn’t have even attempted to do it.
I remember a while back having a chat with a client. He was contemplating the progress of a building they had completed and he was reminiscing of the time when H&S didn’t get in the way of time and progress. With complete rationale (his own) he went on to assume the 20-30 deaths that occurred were a just side effect or rather, a necessary sacrifice. I’m unhappy to say his business is booming and his attitude has not changed and is still one of the reasons he is sought for subcontracts.
Nice guy, does he do key note speeches on efficiencies in the construction industry, is he available for dinner parties?
The reason for the collapse wasn’t the wind. It was groundwater that weakened the basis of the crane. One engineer in charge showed me photos with significant amounts of water at the site of the incident. It seems that there is more groundwater in Qatar than anyone expected. Do you remember the tunnel bore machine at the Metro project being flooded by incoming groundwater?
This is so common in Qatar. Every time I see these cranes dangling above live traffic it scares me. Cranes do collapse quite often – so they should never be allowed to rest and move over roads or where people may be underneath it. Not only this, right now in from of Jarir Bookstore near Ramada Signal, there are workers working in the median only ‘protected’ by a few traffic cones!!! This may be an Ashghal project, but look at the disregard for safety of these poor workers. One vehicle in this dense traffic make one wrong move and there will be several laborers dead! And Ashghal or Qatar Govt. will be spending billions on ‘improved’ roads.
Rest assured no wrong moves are made on the roads of Qatar the workers are safe.