A construction crane toppled over in Edgewater Beach on the North Side Wednesday afternoon, forcing the partial evacuation of a nearby apartment building but causing no injuries.
The crane collapsed in the 1100 block of West Bryn Mawr Avenue where work is being done on the Red Line, knocking down power lines and crushing a car, Chicago Fire District Chief John Gies told reporters at the scene.
A nearby building was partially evacuated out of precaution, Gies said, adding that the crane operator was not hurt.
Gies said it wasn’t clear what caused the crane to fall over. Occupants of the evacuated building won’t be able to return until the crane is cleared, he said.
“It’s gonna take a while to rectify the crane because it’s a big piece of equipment that’s got to be taken apart,” Gies said.
Power was shut off in the area, leaving some homes and businesses without electricity. Red and Purple Line trains kept running but did not stop at the nearby Bryn Mawr station. Normal train service resumed by 9 p.m., the CTA said.
Conor Sullivan, who lives in the building that was evacuated, was working at home when he heard a large boom and felt his apartment shake.
He looked out his window and saw the overturned crane. Sirens and fire crews flooded the construction site minutes later, he said.
Sullivan said he and other occupants of the building were offered a hotel room if the area wasn’t cleared soon.
Sullivan said he’s “really happy that they’re fixing up the Red Line,” but the crane collapse makes him “a little more worried” about all of the construction.
