2 dead after crane collapses on Florida’s Merritt Island during severe weather

Two workers were killed when a crane collapsed on Merritt Island, Florida, amid thunderstorms, according to officials and local media.

The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office said the incident occurred Wednesday afternoon in the 200 block of Borman Drive. Officials confirmed that two people were killed in what was described as an “industrial accident.”

The crane was positioned over the unfinished Cape Canaveral Hospital at 255 Borman Drive when it came down around 2 p.m., according to News 13. Officials have not released details about what caused the collapse.

Video taken by a witness at the scene showed the large crane toppled over amid severe weather conditions. At the time of the incident, the National Weather Service office in Melbourne had issued a special weather statement warning of winds up to 50 mph and advising people to seek shelter in a sturdy structure as a line of storms moved through the area.

In a separate incident reported around the same time in nearby Melbourne Beach, a small plane crashed into the Indian River Lagoon. Officials said two occupants and a dog were onboard and were rescued without injury.

Authorities continue to investigate the crane collapse. The identities of the two victims have not yet been released.