Probe begins in crane collapse

HOUSTON - Federal officials started their investigation yesterday in the collapse of one of the nation's largest mobile cranes, which toppled at a Houston oil refinery, killing four workers and injuring seven others.

The 30-story-tall crane, capable of lifting 1 million pounds, crashed to the ground Friday at a LyondellBasell refinery in southeast Houston.

Representatives of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration began their formal accident investigation yesterday morning, said David Roznowski, a spokesman for the LyondellBasell refinery.

OSHA investigators are working with the refinery, a subcontractor, and the project manager.

"It really is too early to say what happened," Roznowski said. "With the formal incident investigation, that's where we will start to get answers, but it's going to take time. We want to make sure no stone is left unturned and that this kind of thing doesn't happen again."

The owner of the crane, Deep South Crane & Rigging of Baton Rouge, La., plans to work with the federal investigators, looking into what is the latest fatal accident involving cranes around the country.

"We will provide information as we gather and verify it," company spokeswoman Margaret Landry said in a statement.

Two severely injured workers were still being treated yesterday at Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center hospital for injuries that LyondellBasell said were not life-threatening.

The other injured workers had been released after treatment.

The crane collapsed during maintenance, LyondellBasell officials said.