Mast Climbing Platform Collapse in Austin, Texas

On June 10, 2009, at about 2:20 p.m., three construction employees were killed when a mast climbing platform north of the mast collapsed at a condominium project under construction in Austin, Texas. The platform south of the mast and the mast itself remained intact and did not collapse. The site where the accident occurred was located at 2101 Rio Grande, Austin, Texas. At the time of the collapse, about eight employees including the operator were located on both sides of the platform. Immediately before the incident, the platform descended from the13th floor and was stopped at the eleventh floor when the north platform suddenly separated from the main frame (motorized unit) and the mast, and fell to the seventh floor. As a result of the failure, three employees fell with the platform. Two of them fell 11 stories to the ground and the third fell to the seventh floor. The other two employees on the north side were able to hold onto the balcony and were saved.