Crane topples onto shed in Dedham

DEDHAM, Mass. — A tree-trimming crane toppled onto a shed on Crane Street in Dedham Monday morning.

The Dedham Fire Chief said the gravel driveway may have given out out underneath the truck supporting the crane and it fell over on its side.

"He says without warning the crane just gave way and just listed to the right side and it ended up on its right side on the ground," Dedham Fire Chief William Spillane.

"I was in the shower and I heard a big large bang," Ranae Roche said.

The loud bang caused people to run out of their homes in the Dedham neighborhood shortly before 11 a.m. Monday.

"[It was] Like a loud bang and you could feel like a mini vibration," said Ken McLaughlin.

The crane was being used to remove trees from a property on Crane Street.

It crushed a shed and damaged a garage on the next street over.

"It's just unbelievable, especially to walk down here and see it on it's side," Roche said.

No one was injured when the crane collapsed, but a firefighter hurt his knee climbing a fence while responding, according to the fire chief.

The operator of the crane was able to climb out of the truck uninjured.

The crane was operated by Royer Service, a local company.

Chief Spillane says investigators are still trying to figure out if the ground gave out or if it was a mechanical failure, but he says he highly doubts it was operator error.

"I do know that the company themselves, they're very well operated," he said. "This is from what I can think of maybe the first or second time there's been an issue with the company itself. But again very experienced operators. They've been in business for a long time."

No one was home at the houses surrounding it at the time.

Cox Media Group