Crews work Friday to remove 2 cranes that collapsed on Fort Lauderdale roof, as neighbors question what happened

Crews spent Friday working to remove two cranes that collapsed onto a Fort Lauderdale home on Southeast Eighth Street.

No injuries were reported, but the home sustained damage, and the street was closed for hours.

The first crane fell Thursday morning while being used to place a fumigation tent over the home to treat it for termites. The stabilizing footers of the crane were yanked from the ground, causing the truck to overturn and the boom to fall onto the roof.

A second crane brought in to remove the first also collapsed onto the roof. A tow truck was on scene attempting to upright the first truck when the second crane toppled.

Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue received a 911 call at 9:15 a.m. Thursday reporting the initial collapse in the 700 block of Southeast Eighth Street.

"Luckily, no one was home, and no workers suffered injuries," Fire Rescue spokesman Frank Guzman said. Guzman added that an inspector called to the scene determined the structure was unsafe.

The crane company, Cooper Crane, hired a crew to disassemble the boom. Workers described the tight space as difficult to maneuver.

"Getting the assist crane to come help us dismantle the broken ones," said Lingo Upchegrove of LBL Groves Equipment and Mechanic Services. "And coming up with the proper lift plans and where we're going to have them set up to efficiently pick up, load safely, and get them flown out, on top of the house and where we have them now, on the ground."

Some neighbors questioned whether the crane was properly set up for the job.

"If you looked at the way the footings were, they did not use a pad that was really large enough to spread out the space, and it wasn't really a heavy load," neighbor Michael Fine said. "We see construction in this neighborhood all the time."

Neighbors said the family had just finished a year of renovations and recently moved in.

"The homeowner is taking it better than most, I would say," neighbor Marty McGrogan said. "I think he realizes he's beyond anything he can do immediately."

The homeowners told CBS News Miami they had no comment.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspectors were on scene Thursday speaking with workers.

In a statement, Cooper Crane said it is cooperating with the property owner, police, and its insurance carrier.

"We're relieved that no one was hurt," the company said. "We're cooperating with the property owner, police, and our insurance carrier. The incident is being reviewed, and we can't comment on details while that process is underway."

The cause of the collapses remains under investigation.