Jury awards over $100 million to victims of Seattle crane collapse
SEATTLE (AP) — A jury on Monday awarded more than $100 million to some of the victims of a tower crane collapse that killed four people in Seattle in 2019.
Workers were dismantling the 300ft crane in strong gusts of wind when it fell off the roof of a Google building under construction in the South Lake Union neighborhood.
During the investigation into what happened, investigators discovered that some companies were trying to stall, so they did not review the crane disassembly instructions and prematurely removed large pins securing crane mast sections. The Associated Press reported.
According to the AP, the jury found Omega Morgan, Northwest Tower Crane Service and Morrow Equipment Co. caused $150 million in damages.
However, Morrow, who the jury awarded 25% of the responsibility for the crash, was not involved in the trial so he did not have to pay following the verdict, the AP reported.
According to the outlet, Northwest Tower Crane and Omega Morgan were held liable for 75% of the damages.
Two ironworkers, Travis Corbet, 33, and Andrew Yoder, 31, died.
Their families have filed separate lawsuits, according to the AP.
The crane crushed cars below, killing Sarah Pantip Wong, a 19-year-old student at Seattle Pacific University, and Alan Justad, a 71-year-old former city employee.
According to the outlet, Wong was in an Uber en route to a mall when the crane hit the vehicle.
Wong’s friend Brittany Cadelena, who was with her in an Uber, and Uber driver Ali Edriss also filed a complaint, the AP reported.
Three others, including a 4-month-old child, were taken to hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, Seattle Fire Chief Harold Scoggins said at a news conference in the time.
A total of six cars were smashed when the crane fell.