The federal agency investigating the deadly tower crane collapse in Dallas that killed one woman and hurt five more has decided it is safe to remove crane from the apartment building.
As of Thursday afternoon, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released the crane from the June 9 incident back to the Bigge Crane and Rigging, the company that owns the equipment.
An official plan to remove the crane, as well as a timeline for the process, is "currently being finalized," according to a letter from the management team at the Elan City Lights Apartments to its many displaced residents.
The crane, which was being used in the construction of a high-rise apartment building and grocery store next door to the apartment building in the 2600 block of Live Oak Street, came down during a strong storm, with wind gusts in the area measured at over 70 miles per hour around the time of the incident.
Kiersten Smith, 29, was killed when the massive construction came tore through her second story apartment.
A total of 534 residents have been unable to return to their apartments since the collapse, and the building has since been deemed to be “totally unusable.”
In its Thursday communication to those displaced residents, the property management of the Elan City Lights noted that recovery workers have been able to go in and safely pack up the contents of 71 apartments, and that residents can begin picking up their belongings on Saturday.
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