Two large cranes have gone over this afternoon in Alphen aan den Rijn, between Rotterdam and Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Initial estimates suggested that as many as 20 people were injured. In the end only one person had to be taken to hospital.

The two large All Terrain cranes were tandem lifting the main deck section of the Queen Juliana Bridge - as part of its restoration - from a delivery barge onto the lifting pontoon/barge that they were working from. As the two cranes lifted the deck from the delivery barge and slewed in opposite directions in order to rest the load on the rear of the barge on which the larger of the two cranes was based, the weight shifted, causing the barge on which the smaller crane was located to list a little on one side. This had an impact on the load position which exasperated the listing and load transfer between the two cranes. This caused the smaller one to tip over sideways, pulling the bridge deck with it.



Shortly afterwards the bridge deck hit the larger crane - a nine axle model - just as the load settled and applied a further dynamic loading, as a result it went over too.
Between the two cranes and the bridge section, four houses and including a restaurant and shops were flattened and initial reports claimed that 20 people had injuries of some sort or another. Thankfully there were no fatalities, so we assume that the crane operators managed to escape, not only with their lives but without serious injury. The emergency services and investigators are still on site.



The two cranes are owned by local rental company Peinemann, but we do not know if it was managing and carrying out the lift, or was simply providing the cranes. The event has been captured on video footage.


We will updat this item as and when we learn more - many thanks for our locally based readers for your response so far.

The following video was taken with a drone as the lift was set up and shows quite clearly how the two cranes were rigged and what they planned to do.

updat
Shortly after the incident three people working on the project turned themselves into the police and were apparently cautioned as suspects in the causing the incident.
They have now been released given there are now serious injuries or fatalities. and also based on the evidence given. In a series of press conferences we learnt that around 15 people have been evacuated and that the main bridge contractor has already paid out some temporary compensation.

A number of expert witnesses have also stepped forward and criticised the lift, from the way it was conducted, the questionable risk assessment and the use of mobile telescopics on barges.