4 killed, 7 hurt in crane collapse at Houston refinery
Friday, July 18th, 2008Video of scene from KHOU, Houston
Reported by KHOU, Houston
The largest mobile crane in the nation collapsed at the LyondellBasell Houston refinery in Southeast Houston Friday afternoon. A company spokesman confirmed four contractors were killed and seven were hurt.
“I’m very sorry to report that we do have four fatalities of contract employees here,” Jim Roecker, LyondellBasell’s divisional vice president for Houston refining, said. “This is a traumatic experience for all of us.”
The 30-story-tall crane, capable of lifting 1 million pounds, fell over about 2 p.m., said Jim Roecker, the company’s vice president for refining.
Fire departments from Houston and Pasadena immediately responded to the scene. Two of the most seriously injured workers were rushed by Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital. Two workers were taken to area hospitals by ambulance. Three more workers were treated on the scene.