Industrial bin falls 20 storeys from crane

AN industrial bin carrying a load of dirt has reportedly fallen more than 20 storeys when a crane malfunctioned at a Gold Coast worksite.

Paramedics were called to the Broadbeach QUBE worksite just before 4pm yesterday.

Witnesses said a rope snapped while the bin was being lifted and that it had fallen about 20 storeys into an unfinished swimming pool.

No one was injured, in part due to the fact many of the workers at the site had finished for the day.

A tradesman on the site working for Morris Property Group said an investigation into the incident has begun.

“We are looking into the malfunction of a crane but there is currently no safety issue for crew on site or anyone else,” the tradesman said.

WorkCover Queensland has issued a non-disturbance notice at the site as investigation continue.

CFMEU Gold Coast official Scott Vink said the incident could have been a tragedy.

“It’s too early to speculate on reasons this disastrous incident happened,” he said.

“If a crane rope snaps and drops a skip bin loaded with material in it from approximately 20 floors above to the pool area below on level four then that’s got to be grounds for workers to have concerns, wouldn’t one think?”

Mr Vink said that workers had been transported to upper levels inside a box lifted by the crane during work on the site during the past two weeks.