The collapsed girder, cracked in half on the left side of the frame, is seen in a photo from the Surprise Fire Department. Photo credit: @SurpriseFD on TwitterTwo workers were injured when a 150-foot concrete and steel girder cracked and collapsed the morning of June 9, in Surprise, Arizona, azcentral.com reports.
One worker fell about 40 feet and was airlifted to a trauma center in critical condition, Surprise Fire Department officials told the news agency. The second man, who was in a piece of heavy equipment when the girder collapsed on it, was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
According to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), both workers are employees of a state contractor.
Crews were working on a new, $41.9 million overpass that will carry Bell Road traffic over Grand Avenue and the BNSF Railway tracks in Surprise. A crane was being used to put the girder in place where the roadway spans the railroad tracks when the girder cracked in half.
ADOT told the news agency that the girder that fell was the sixth one that had been installed that morning.
The cause of the incident was not immediately known, Surprise Fire Battalion Chief Julie Moore told the news agency that ADOT is working with the Arizona Division of Occupational Safety and Health on the investigation.
ADOT spokesman Doug Nintzel told the news agency that the investigation will delay the project, but it wasn’t clear how long. He said the investigation will determine the safety of the girders already installed.
