The Health and Safety Authority yesterday launched an investigation into a building site accident in which one construction worker was critically injured and two others suffered less serious injuries when a remote controlled operated crane collapsed.
The accident happened shortly after 4 p.m. when the 60 foot high crane was moving a load behind a house on Patrick's Hill near Cork city centre and the arm of the crane broke crashing into scaffolding at the rear of the house on which two men were working.
Both men suffered injuries in the accident as did the man operating the crane from a control panel at the base of the machine and all three were removed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital for treatment.
A hospital spokesperson confirmed that one of the men was in a critical condition while the other two were described as stable.
The Department of Justice yesterday confirmed the building - Westview House - is owned and funded by the Department and is run by a management team from the probation and welfare service as a hostel for ex-offenders and operates under the name, Cork Probation Hostel.
