A crane collapsed on a western Bangkok highway project in the early hours of Friday, killing six workers and injuring ten. Rescue teams arrived quickly and continued through dawn as crews searched the rubble and moved to secure the area for the next steps in the inquiry.
The toll and identities of the deceased were confirmed by the Public Relations Department of the Samut Sakhon provincial government. The two Thai nationals and four migrant workers from Myanmar were all employed on the road project.
The collapse sent a plume of concrete dust and debris into the air, the noise echoing through nearby neighborhoods as heavy equipment hummed and the work zone took shape around the site.
<p Emergency responders reached the scene within minutes, and rescuers spent hours carefully sifting through rubble to locate survivors, recover remains, and secure the site for investigation.
The stretch of road where the accident occurred was cordoned off as investigators prepared to review equipment data and assess the safety measures that guided the lift.
Residents described the moment of impact as a thunderous crash that echoed along the corridor, followed by a haze of dust and the steady hum of machinery illuminating the work zone.
Investigators expect to reconstruct the sequence of events and determine whether a safety breach occurred or if a mechanical fault contributed to the crane’s failure.
The crane had been lifting enormous concrete blocks intended to form the base for the future elevated highway when the load proved too heavy. Under the weight, the lift faltered, sending several workers tumbling from heights exceeding ten meters and leaving others trapped beneath debris.
Local authorities opened a formal inquiry to determine the exact cause and to assess potential contributing factors such as the crane’s condition, how loads were planned, and on-site supervision. Investigators will examine crane maintenance records, verify operator credentials, and review rigging procedures while interviewing supervisors and considering weather and wind conditions that could have influenced the lift. The aim is to reconstruct the events, identify safety gaps, and ensure immediate remediation to prevent repetition of such incidents.
In Thailand, accidents on construction sites remain a concern rooted in safety practices and workforce qualifications. The broader pattern is linked to uneven enforcement of safety rules and a reliance on workers with varied levels of training and experience. In June 2023, a separate tragedy unfolded in Bangkok when a bridge under construction collapsed onto passing vehicles, resulting in deaths and injuries. These incidents have intensified calls for stricter oversight, mandatory safety training for workers, and consistent adherence to robust standards across large-scale public projects. Stakeholders, including government agencies, contractor firms, and worker unions, have urged standardized risk assessments, regular inspections of equipment, and real-time monitoring of lifts on busy road projects. Authorities stress that a strong safety culture is essential to reducing future collapses, while communities and local leaders seek transparent investigations and sustained reforms that protect workers across major infrastructure schemes.