Motor malfunction caused crane to catch fire, collapse at Avalon in Alpharetta
A fire that caused a crane to collapse Tuesday morning at a construction site at an outdoor mall in Alpharetta is believed to have been caused by a motor malfunction, authorities said.
Video obtained by Channel 2 Action News captured the moment the crane buckled at the Avalon development.
EXCLUSIVE: The moment a construction crane collapsed at @AvalonInsider. pic.twitter.com/RLkb8azxE6
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) April 2, 2019
The blaze sent a plume of black smoke over north Fulton County.
Liana Moran, a spokeswoman for Avalon, told Channel 2 the fire is “presumed to have been a malfunction of the drill crane motor.”
The work site was closed after the fire, but reopened the next day, she said. The crane was disassembled the next day.
A construction crane was on fire and has collapsed. Fire crews on scene dealing with things now. No word on injuries.
— AlpharettaPublicSafety (@AlpharettaDPS) April 2, 2019
Will update in 10 min. Media can meet PIO across the street at Gwinnett Tech College lot.
The Alpharetta Department of Public Safety said no one was injured. Only one entrance to Avalon was affected.
About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
