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Crane collapse claims two lives with driver taken to hospital

The driver of the crane was also injured during the incident in Crewe.

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The crane accident site

Two men have died after a crane collapsed at a building site in Crewe, police said.

Another man, believed to be the crane driver, was taken to Royal Stoke Hospital with serious injuries, which Cheshire Police said were not thought to be life-threatening.

A parent and child in a house damaged by the falling crane were taken to hospital for a check-up as a precaution but were not injured, North West Ambulance Service said.

The crane accident site
A house was also damaged in the incident (Peter Byrne/PA)

Emergency services were called to a new build site near Morrisons in Dunwoody Way in Crewe at 4.30pm on Wednesday following reports of a collapsed crane.

Cheshire Police said in a statement: “The crane collapsed trapping three people underneath.”

Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service said its crews had released one casualty, who was taken to hospital by air ambulance, and that firefighters isolated gas and electricity supplies to two nearby properties while they recovered the two men who died.

Chief Superintendent Matt Welsted said: “This is a truly tragic incident, and our deepest condolences go out to the families affected at this extremely difficult time. Any footage that you believe could help officers with their inquiries, please send to our public contact email to allow us to effectively investigate the incident.”

Jonathan Seddon, chief executive of Seddon, which runs the construction site, said: “I’m deeply saddened to say that following the incident involving the erection of a crane, two people working on site have lost their lives, while a third remains injured in hospital. The crane also struck an adjacent house, the occupants were taken to hospital and have since been discharged.

“On behalf of everyone at Seddon, I’d like to offer my heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of those who so tragically lost their lives yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with everybody involved, and words cannot express how we feel.”

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