Update: Crane collapse injures worker, causes oil spill

| Environment | Safety | West Seattle news

Seattle Fire Department spokesperson Kyle Moore tells WSB a crane operator from Vigor Shipyard on Harbor Island is in serious condition at Harborview Medical Center after the crane collapsed into the water. You can see an aerial view in this story on KING5.com. This comes 13 days after a Kitsap County man working at Vigor was killed in a fall. We’re checking with the shipyard to see if they have additional information; thanks to PT for tipping us to this by asking why there were two helicopters over Harbor Island.

3:51 PM UPDATE: The Department of Ecology now says this has led to a spill, too:

The Washington Department of Ecology, the U.S. Coast Guard and Vigor Industrial are responding to an oil spill from a crane accident at the company’s facility on Harbor Island in Seattle today. The company has placed oil spill cleanup and containment materials on the water around the accident scene.

4:27 PM: SFD has published more information about the rescue, and says the crane operator’s injuries are not life-threatening. Here’s their report.

5:08 PM: From Steve Hirsh at Vigor, responding to our inquiry about comment from the company:

We are working with the proper authorities to try to determine what happened. We understand and are thankful that the worker operating the crane is said to be alert and in good spirits. He wants people to know he’s OK.

We have been are working with the Washington Department of Ecology and the U.S. Coast Guard to contain any spill; our initial estimate is that approximately 10 gallons of lubricating oil may have leaked into the water off Harbor Island.

And an update from Ecology:

Oil from a crane accident today at the Vigor Industrial shipyard in Seattle left a coating on the water that was too thin for successful cleanup. Spill response crews deployed floating containment boom to prevent oil from drifting out of the immediate area.

The Washington Department of Ecology and U.S. Coast Guard are overseeing the spill cleanup and response. The containment boom will remain in place during upcoming operations to remove the crane from the water. Crews will be prepared to begin cleanup work if more oil is released.

PT February 16, 2012 (2:03 pm)

Glad another fatality was avoided.

Diane February 16, 2012 (3:16 pm)

oh no, not again!!!
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I was wondering what the helicopters were doing about an hour ago in that area

Beaue February 16, 2012 (4:02 pm)

Workers alright got bounced around inside cab of crane beat up a little when will it stop oh probably when they get rid of Vigor send em back to Oregon.

david February 16, 2012 (5:43 pm)

happened 30 feet away from the barge us sailors live in. if the boom was in a different position, it could have taken us with it

Velo_nut February 16, 2012 (7:46 pm)

What?

Scott February 17, 2012 (6:23 am)

Beaue, Vigor has 5 facilities in Washington and one in Oregon. Vigor did not come from Oregon, they come from under a rock!

Proud shipyard worker February 17, 2012 (7:45 am)

Beaue to use this as a opertunity to Beat up on the new ownership shows your ignorance. This yard has improved at a very impressive rate. This was a very tragic accident I look forward to knowing more facts

DB February 17, 2012 (6:24 pm)

Very sad to here about the crane operator as well as the guy who died from the fall… I used to work for vigor and they strive for safety and all that good stuff but when they get a lot of work in they choose to work their guys like horses for 12 hour shifts seven days a week for weeks at a time and the only thing they really care about at this point is production…But overall a very good company to work for if you can get used to this!!

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