Huge section of Liverpool collapse crane is removed from city flats

Jul 11 2009 by Ben Schofield, Liverpool Echo

A section of the collapsed crane is winched down

Crane hire company Ainscough moved three more lifting machines to the site earlier in the week. One is holding the collapsed crane in place, another is lifting the cut-up sections, and the third is lowering workmen into place.

After the first section was removed, Ainscough’s director of health and safety, John Lowton, told the ECHO: “Now this has been done, we will move down to a lower section of the tower to cut away at the four support legs at that point.

“That will mean we can remove the main section of the tower.

“There was a large fire risk in the work we have just completed because there was a lot of molten metal coming off the tower and directly below that were open patio doors with curtains blowing, which could have caught alight. That is why we have been quite so careful.”

Sharon Martin, 40, of Burton Close – a cul-de-sac in the shadow of the apartment blocks – said: “My kids are too frightened to stay at home.

“Our houses are the other side of a safety cordon that police won’t let you through without hard hats and special passes, but we’re just living there with no protection.”

Neighbour Angela O’Brien, 34, also said: “We're a bit panicky.”