Crane Tips Over At Kirkland Construction Site, Operator Injured

KIRKLAND, WA — A crane operator was hospitalized Monday morning after a mobile crane tipped over at a Kirkland construction site. A City of Kirkland spokesperson said the person was taken to Harborview in unknown condition. No other injuries were reported.

According to a city news release, a 911 caller reported the crane toppled and trapped the operator inside during construction work for a new office building along Lakeview Drive. Emergency crews from Kirkland, Redmond, and Bellevue were called to the scene, between Lakeview and Lake Washington Boulevard, shortly after 8 a.m. The Associated Press reports the crane operator was trapped inside for an hour, as crews worked to safely extract them from the wreckage.

Portions of Lake Washington Boulevard and Lakeview Drive were closed for several hours, but all roads have since reopened. The Department of Labor and Industries will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Investigators have not said what led the crane to tip over.