Construction worker killed after part of crane collapsed on SE 3rd Avenue Bridge in downtown Fort Lauderdale identified
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FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WSVN) — Police have identified the construction worker who was killed after part of a crane collapsed on a bridge in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
According to Fort Lauderdale Police, the victim was identified as 27-year-old Jorge de la Torre.
De la Torre was a father with two young children.
Fort Lauderdale Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the incident at the Southeast Third Avenue Bridge over the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale, at around 4:30 p.m., Thursday.
Aerial footage from 7Skyforce showed a large presence of first responders as well as two damaged vehicles: A dark-colored minivan and a Tesla SUV. Behind one of the vehicles involved, a large hole in the bridge, apparently caused by the falling debris, was visible.
According to fire rescue officials, a man and woman were transported to Broward Health Medical Center in stable condition. Both victims were released from the hospital on Friday morning. A third person, the driver of the Tesla, was put on a stretcher but was not transported to the hospital.
According to police, de la Torre fell with one of the loads off the side of the building and succumbed to his injuries.
On Facebook, his loved ones wrote “God took you from me and I’ll never never know why. I will love you for the rest of my life. You are a great dad and annoyingly funny best friend, the best provider and love of my life.”
The post was complete with a picture of of the 27-year-old and his children.
The driver of the Tesla, Mark Cerezin, reacted to the news of the deceased worker.
“My heart goes out, once I heard, to them, to this person who lost their life and their loved ones. I mean, that could’ve been me,” said Cerezin.
Fire rescue officials have since secured the crane and the area has been cleared of debris and damaged vehicles as investigations by several agencies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Coast Guard, and the Florida Department of Transportation, continue.
The closure of the bridge caused significant traffic and stopped marine traffic along the New River, but since its reopening, all traffic has returned to normal.
Workers told 7News that de la Torre, along with five other men, were the ones who worked the top half of the crane. They also told 7News that the cable that holds the pieces of the crane was changed recently.
That information has not been officially confirmed and it is unclear if that information has anything to do with this tragedy.
KAST Construction, the company working on the high-rise where the crane was being used, has been contacted for comment on this incident.
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