Readers praise Dubai Police response to crane crash

Dubai: Motorists had a valid reason when they arrived late to work on Sunday. A massive crane had crashed on Shaikh Zayed road rendering highway traffic immobile.

While it was a traffic nightmare, most people were relieved that nobody was injured.

Gulf News readers were very impressed by the efficiency with which the Dubai Police handled the situation. The workers at the construction site aided them.

Shahab Ahmad Khan, a commuter, said: "I was not stuck in the traffic but I could understand the people's reactions when they could not even move from their spot. However, I think Dubai Police and the construction workers onsite did a great job in clearing the scene in a matter of hours."

Along with the Dubai police, the media also contributed in helping ease the problem. However, Elie, a Dubai resident, thought that many motorists were the main cause for the traffic congestion.

"The radio stations advised motorists to take alternative routes," he said. "But if people want to drive through Shaikh Zayed Road to see the accident then that is another issue. People cannot complain if they are causing the traffic."

Elie said that he had faced no problem driving to work on Al Wasl Road.

Readers were also grateful that the accident did not hurt anyone.

A lucky escape

"We should consider ourselves lucky that the crane did not hurt anyone, as it fell on the side," Sandeep said. "A project as big as Dubai Metro did well in not only taking care of this accident well, but also did not have that many accidents, considering its speed in completing the project."

According to Rabiaah Fahad, a motorist, no one should be blamed in such a situation, as it was an accident. "Crane accidents are as unexpected as car accidents," said Fahad. "If this accident is unacceptable then we should not drive at all."

Timeline: Major crane accidents

September 24, 2008: An Asian worker was killed and two others injured when the crane-truck they were travelling in crashed and rolled over near the major tunnel on the road linking Sharjah and Wadi Al Hilow Road near Kalba.

August 8: A 27-year-old Indian worker fell from the eighth-floor of a high-rise building under construction and died under concrete blocks which fell on him from a crane on Oman Street in Al Nakheel area in Ras Al Khaimah.

April 23: Three Asian workers died after they fell from the 10th floor of building under construction on the King Faisal Street in Sharjah. They were standing on a scaffolding to receive construction materials delivered by a crane, the crane hit the scaffolding and the workers fell to the ground.

December 3, 2007: A 32-year-old Indian worker was seriously injured after an overloaded crane carrying heavy iron rods hit a portion of a bridge under construction in Dubai. The bridge collapsed, killing seven and injuring 19 others.

November 9: Seven workers died and 19 were injured when a crane carrying steel frames hit a portion of a wall near a bridge under construction in Dubai.

October 23: A tower crane collapsed and killed two Indian workers on the spot at a construction site located next to the Millennium Hotel in Buhaira Corniche, Sharjah.

May 9: A 28-year-old Indian worker died when he was carrying out maintenance work on a crane when a part of it fell on him in the Al Aweer Industrial area.