The Nagpur crane collapse at an MHADA construction site in Ganeshpeth killed two workers and injured three others on Friday, after the upper section of a nearly 100-foot-tall tower crane reportedly collided with another crane while its height was being increased.
According to preliminary information from Ganeshpeth police, the crane operator and a labourer working on top of the crane died after the structure toppled and threw workers from a considerable height. The three injured workers were taken to a private hospital for treatment. Police said their condition was stable, although details about the nature and severity of their injuries were still awaited.
The accident occurred while construction work was under way at the MHADA colony site. Police said the crane operator had been attempting to increase the height of the crane when its upper section reportedly struck another crane at the location. The impact caused the structure to collapse.
A fourth worker became trapped in the upper section of the crane after the collapse. Fire department personnel reached the site after receiving information about the incident and carried out a rescue operation to free the worker. Police and fire personnel continued rescue and assessment work at the construction site.
The circumstances surrounding the collapse had not been conclusively established when the report was filed. Police said accounts differed regarding the sequence of events and the number of workers injured. The conflicting accounts mean that the reported collision and the precise chain of events remain subject to the preliminary inquiry.
Ganeshpeth police were conducting a panchnama at the site as part of the initial investigation. No offence had been registered at the time of filing the report, and further action was expected after the preliminary inquiry.
The incident brings renewed attention to safety controls at large housing-construction sites, where tower cranes are used to lift materials and extend working height as projects progress. In this case, however, police had yet to establish whether equipment operation, site coordination or another factor led to the collapse. The immediate confirmed details were the deaths of two workers, injuries to three others and the rescue of another worker from the crane’s upper section.
The next steps are expected to follow the completion of the preliminary police inquiry and the panchnama at the MHADA site. Police were continuing to assess the circumstances of the collapse and were expected to decide on further action after the initial investigation.
