Visakhapatnam: A massive 70-tonne crane under trial run in the Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) came crashing down on Saturday here, crushing 11 victims to death in the first such mishap in the public sector ship-building company’s 75 year old existence.
All the deceased who came under the falling iron mass, rail-mounted and known as jetty crane for being on a ramp to handle cargo, were killed on the spot, even as TV visuals showed the equipment collapsing on the ground with a loud thud after its cabin and base snapped during the trial run.
The new crane was erected at HSL about two years ago but was not yet commissioned for regular operations due to change in contractors.
The HSL management, with the help of three new contractors, started conducting a trial run of the crane when its cabin and base snapped and collapsed as a dead-weight load was being tested, Visakhapatnam District Collector V Vinay Chand said.
There were no other casualties in the incident, he added. (PTI)
