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| Crane collapses on to apartments | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A crane moving a five-tonne weight has collapsed on to a block of flats in Liverpool city centre. | |
| The crane driver was rescued from the roof of the building at Tabley Street and taken to hospital where he is said to be in a "stable" condition. | |
| Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said residents had a "lucky escape" when the weight attached to the crane's arm went through the building at lunchtime. | |
| The Health and Safety Executive has started an investigation. | |
| Eyewitness James Johnson told the BBC the crane had been left "wrapped over" the four-storey building. | |
| Mr Johnson, 26, lives in the apartment block opposite the building and witnessed the aftermath. | Mr Johnson, 26, lives in the apartment block opposite the building and witnessed the aftermath. |
| We went through the emergency exit but it was full of falling debris Sarah Banfield, resident | We went through the emergency exit but it was full of falling debris Sarah Banfield, resident |
| "I just heard this huge crash and I just thought they dropped some concrete," he told BBC News. | "I just heard this huge crash and I just thought they dropped some concrete," he told BBC News. |
| "But when I looked out of the window I saw the crane wrapped over the top of the building." | "But when I looked out of the window I saw the crane wrapped over the top of the building." |
| James Berry, group manager for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, said a search was conducted on all floors of the building to make sure all residents were accounted for. | |
| Holes in floor | |
| "It's fortunate that, at that time of the day, the majority of flats would have been unoccupied," he said. | "It's fortunate that, at that time of the day, the majority of flats would have been unoccupied," he said. |
| "Significant resources are here from the police, fire and regional ambulance and we expect to be here for some time." | |
| The end of the crane appeared to pierce part of the roof | |
| The crane had been working on a nearby apartment block at the time of the incident. | The crane had been working on a nearby apartment block at the time of the incident. |
| Resident Sarah Banfield was helped out of the Chandler's Wharf building along with her boyfriend, Andrew, by a builder. | Resident Sarah Banfield was helped out of the Chandler's Wharf building along with her boyfriend, Andrew, by a builder. |
| She said she dodged plumes of dust, falling debris and holes in the floor to get out. | She said she dodged plumes of dust, falling debris and holes in the floor to get out. |
| "The whole building shuddered. It felt like it was literally shaking," she said. | "The whole building shuddered. It felt like it was literally shaking," she said. |
| "We grabbed hold of each other because it seemed to go on for ages, we thought it was an earthquake. | "We grabbed hold of each other because it seemed to go on for ages, we thought it was an earthquake. |
| "We tried to get out so opened our front door and there was dust everywhere. | "We tried to get out so opened our front door and there was dust everywhere. |
| "We went through the emergency exit but it was full of falling debris. | "We went through the emergency exit but it was full of falling debris. |
| "I stepped across a hole in the floor which had bits of metal sticking out of it, I don't know how I did it." | "I stepped across a hole in the floor which had bits of metal sticking out of it, I don't know how I did it." |