Samut prakan: A crane operator was injured in the middle of the night when a large steel hook fell through the cab and crushed him, breaking his leg, while he was installing a 22-meter-high power pole. Engineers suspect a malfunction in the crane's anchoring system or sling.

According to Thai News Agency, the Samut Prakan Hospital emergency medical services center dispatched personnel to the scene on Bang Na-Trat Road, a construction site where large power poles were being installed under an elevated highway. They found a yellow crane parked on the roadside with its front cabin window severely damaged. Inside the cabin, they found the injured crane driver, Mr. Pairach, 31, whose legs were trapped under a large steel hook weighing over 100 kilograms that had fallen through the roof and windshield.

Authorities had to coordinate the deployment of another crane to carefully lift the hook and weight that were crushing the injured man. Rescue workers and paramedics climbed onto the crane, using rescue equipment to assist the victim under pressure as Mr. Pairach was experiencing severe pain. After approximately 20 minutes, they were able to successfully lift the heavy object and remove Mr. Pairach from the driver's cabin.

Initially, Mr. Pairach was found to be conscious and able to communicate with officials at all times, but he sustained serious injuries, including a disfigured fracture of his right thigh. Emergency medical personnel provided first aid and assistance before urgently transporting him to Prince Suvarnabhumi Hospital.

Engineers and site supervisors suspect the cause may have been damage to the crane's hook and sling system, resulting in the large steel counterweight falling from a height and piercing the cab. However, officials will conduct a detailed engineering investigation and gather evidence to determine the true cause of the accident.