WASHINGTON — A construction crane fell over -- twice -- onto the roof of a townhouse and a neighboring building Wednesday morning in Northwest, D.C. Fire and EMS said.
Fire crews were called to the scene of the incident on the 1300 block of 11th Street and O Street around 9:15 a.m.
The crane struck a building under construction and a rowhome. The crane truck appeared to be tipped over on the buildings. Officials said the occupants in the townhome were evacuated.
"It sounded like one loud boom," neighbor Julie Pagaduan said. “I was next to the kitchen when we heard it. It sounded really loud.”
Crews rescued one worker on the rooftop with an Aerial Tower. Officials said the worker was taken to the hospital with serious injuries that were not life-threatening. Emergency crews at the scene also evaluated the injuries of two people who were in the home-- a senior citizen and their caregiver.
“It’s really sad, and I'm hoping the worker is ok, but I am glad it was only one person," neighbor Sarah Sherwood said. "Honestly, I thought the people in the house were going to be hurt and all that. So, I’m glad they’re OK too.”
As crews tried to remove the tipped crane from the building, the crane fell a second time, again striking the building under construction.
At this time, it is unknown what caused the crane to tip over. D.C. Fire collapse specialists are assessing the damage the crane caused to the home and building.
The incident is currently under investigation by several agencies, including D.C.'s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA and D.C. police.
“They have to determine what went wrong here and move forward from there, especially since there was a serious injury involved," Vito Maggiolo, spokesperson for D.C. Fire & EMS, said.
Here's a look at the scene: