Crane collapse claims two lives with driver taken to hospital

Two men have died after a crane collapsed at a building site in Crewe, police said.

Another man, believed to be the crane driver, was taken to Royal Stoke Hospital with serious injuries, which Cheshire Police said were not thought to be life threatening.

A parent and child in a house damaged by the falling crane were taken to hospital for a check-up as a pre-caution but were not injured, North West Ambulance Service said.

Chief Superintendent Matt Welsted said: "This is a truly tragic incident, and our deepest condolences go out to the families affected at this extremely difficult time.

"This is a multi-agency operation and we are working closely with the Health and Safety Executive, Local Authority, and Building Control to establish the full circumstances of the incident, however I would like to reassure members of the public that nobody else is at risk.

"A residential property has been damaged as a result of the incident, the occupants were not injured and were checked over by medical professionals.

"They have since been relocated while the investigation continues.

"The bodies of those who have sadly lost their lives will shortly be recovered from the scene.

"I would ask that anybody who may have any footage of the scene, to please respect the families of those involved.

"Any footage that you believe could help officers with their inquiries, please send to our public contact email to allow us to effectively investigate the incident."

Emergency services were called to a new build site near Morrisons in Dunwoody Way in Crewe at 4.30pm on Wednesday following reports of a collapsed crane.

Cheshire Police said in a statement: "The crane collapsed trapping three people underneath."

Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service said its crews had released one casualty, who was taken to hospital by air ambulance, and that firefighters isolated gas and electricity supplies to two nearby properties while they recovered the two men who died.

Control of the houses was handed over to police once their structural safety had been confirmed.

Cheshire Police said the next of kin of the two men who died had been informed, but that formal identification was yet to take place.

Dunwoody Way remained closed at its junction of West Street, near Morrisons, on Wednesday night.