Worker injured in railroad crane collapse
Bill Dolan bill.dolan@nwi.com
Updated Sep 20, 2016
SCHNEIDER, IN — Lake County, Indiana police said a worker was critically injured Monday when a crane he was operating tipped over.
Dan Murchek, assistant county police chief, said the person, who wasn’t identified late Monday, was flown by helicopter to an Illinois hospital for treatment. His condition is unknown.
Police said the victim, a 65-year-old from Lake Village, was operating a crane 10:15 a.m. Monday on a railroad car sitting on tracks near 236th and Highland in Schneider when it fell over.
County officers arrived and assisted the Tri-Creek Fire Department and several other fire departments that arrived to assist.
Officers radioed the county E-911 department to contact the railroad company to stop any incoming trains since the crane had fallen near the tracks. Officers blocked the roadway and secured the scene for fire personnel and for a medical helicopter to land on scene.
Fire personal were able to free him and he was transported by helicopter to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Ill.
A spokesman for the Norfolk Southern Corp. said he didn’t have a report on the accident.
Murchek said the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to investigate of the accident.