Crane topples over at Kuching construction site, crushes roofs of neighbouring houses

KUCHING (Feb 12): A telescopic crawler crane toppled onto its side with its boom fully extended at a construction site here on Thursday, crushing the roofs of two semi-detached double-storey houses.

According to sources, the incident occurred at around 8.30am at Taman Woodlands Stutong here.

No injuries were reported in the incident.

A family member of one homeowner shared that his parents, grandmother, and sister reside in the most damaged house.

“At the time of the incident, all family members were inside.

“The loud crash as the roof collapsed scared everyone, but fortunately, all of them are safe,” he said.

Both houses, with their roofs and car porches severely damaged, have been declared unsafe for habitation.

With Chinese New Year beginning on Tuesday, repairs will likely take a longer period to complete.

It is understood that arrangements have been made for the families to stay with relatives during the festive period.

The exact cause of the crane toppling over is still under investigation.

The construction company has begun clearing debris and managed to remove the crane’s telescopic boom from the rooftops by around 10.30am.