One person lost their life when a tower crane collapsed at a construction site in Abakan, a tragedy confirmed by authorities from the regional investigative committee. A video showing the scene circulated on a Telegram channel, highlighting the immediate aftermath and the danger faced by workers nearby.
The incident took place on December 12, during a project by Alfa Stroy Invest, which was responsible for building homes within the Kirovsky residential complex. The initial investigative report indicates that the crane’s boom tilted during the lifting of reinforced concrete slabs, causing the crane to topple and drop from a height of roughly 42 meters onto vehicles below. The fall created a chaotic scene and disrupted the surrounding area as responders worked to secure the site and preserve evidence for the ongoing inquiry.
The crane operator, a 56-year-old worker who was inside the cab at the moment of the collapse, died at the scene. Two other workers, aged 38 and 28, sustained injuries of varying severity and were transported to a hospital for treatment and observation. The incident prompted a comprehensive on-site assessment by safety and construction authorities to determine whether proper protocols were followed and where any lapses may have occurred.
A criminal case has been opened under Part 2 of Article 216 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which covers violations of safety rules resulting in the death of a person during construction work due to negligence. Investigators are conducting a detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding the collapse, including crane maintenance records, operator credentials, and the sequence of lifting operations on that day.
Earlier reports mentioned another unrelated event, noting a gunman who chased drivers through a Vladivostok parking area, a separate incident that has no direct bearing on the Abakan collapse but has been referenced in ongoing local safety discussions and media coverage.