Massive crane tips over in downtown Sacramento

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Twelfth Street between K and L Streets in downtown Sacramento is back open to vehicle and pedestrian traffic after a crane accident forced an hours long closure Saturday.

A Bragg Crane Service crane was on its side for hours as construction crews executed the delicate process of righting the toppled vehicle as on-lookers took it all in.

Rick Poeppelman, a civil engineer of 38 years, was celebrating his 60th birthday on the patio of a restaurant right across the street from all the action.

“It was almost the perfect thing to happen right next to my…birthday,” Poeppelman said. “This kind of happened to be up my alley. I’m a civil engineer and I’ve dealt with cranes through my career.”

Poeppelman and his engineer friends at the party did not speculate on what caused the downtown Sacramento crane collapse, only saying these kinds of accidents sometimes do happen.

“A little bit unusual, but it’s kind of part of the crane business,” he explained. “Crane work, especially with big cranes… it’s pretty technical. And usually, they’ll have civil engineers involved just with the loads they’re lifting, and how far they have to reach, and the outriggers.”

Crews kept the block closed while bringing in other cranes for the big assist.