CRASH SITE The accident on HV dela Costa Street also caused a brownout in nearby villages and snarled traffic in the Makati central business district. PHOTOS BY LYN RILLON
The Makati City government ordered an investigation and stopped work at a high-rise construction project in the central business district (CBD) on Thursday, where two persons were injured after a tower crane collapsed, snagged utility cables and sent an electric post crashing down on the street.
The toppled post fell on a taxi cab on HV dela Costa Street, Barangay Bel-Air, leaving the driver with signs of spinal injury. Another man on a bike sustained a fracture on his arm and bruises on his knees and elbows.
The crash happened around 8 a.m. at the Salcedo Sky Suites project site and cut power supply in Bel-Air and neighboring Urdaneta and Guadalupe Viejo. The ensuing closure of HV Dela Costa also caused heavy traffic in the CBD.
The Makati City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) identified the injured driver as Ramon Romirosa, 47; and the biker as Romeo Lopez, 40.
The building contractor, AM Oreta Construction, issued an apology and said it would shoulder the medical expenses of the two victims, who received treatment at Makati Medical Center.
In a statement, the company said the crane was being set up at the residential project when it collapsed and snagged utility cables, affecting five electrical posts and two telecom posts. The crane fell on a vacant lot and hit three parked cars.
Makati Mayor Romulo Peña ordered the Office of the Building Official (OBO) to enforce the work stoppage while investigating the cause of the incident and individuals who should be held liable. “Although nobody died, still there were people injured,” he said. “We will not tolerate negligence and noncompliance with our construction laws and standards.”
OBO Enforcement Unit officer in charge, Engr. Julio Cepeda, said they would check if standard operating procedures were followed by the personnel in charge of the crane and whether it was being installed on soft ground.
Meanwhile, Bel-Air village watchmen told reporters that the crane operator had gone missing after the incident.
