The crane operator who fell onto students at Assumption Convent School fled the scene immediately after the incident. Meanwhile, the Bang Rak District Office has filed two charges against the construction company: unauthorized building extension and violation of official orders.
The incident involved a crane lifting steel scaffolding plates at a 20-story building being renovated into a hotel. The crane arm broke under the weight, causing over 30 steel plates to fall onto the roof of the multipurpose courtyard of the adjacent Assumption Convent School, penetrating through and hitting a group of female third-year students. Ten students were injured, one severely with a fractured skull, admitted to the ICU for monitoring, as previously reported.
On 20 Jun 2019 GMT+7 at 10:00, reporters observed that Associate Professor Anek Siriphanich, Chair of the Civil Engineering Division at the Engineering Institute of Thailand (EIT), along with Mr. Wutthinan Patmawisut, Chair of the EIT Subcommittee on Hoisting and Cranes, and Mr. Harit Srinukul, a subcommittee member, jointly inspected the crane accident site.
Associate Professor Anek stated that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration had ordered the site closed. They discussed the following actions: 1. Remove all cranes from the area to ensure safety, and 2. Repair the school. The crane removal was scheduled to begin at 17:00 today, clearing the building and surrounding areas since materials might still fall. They aim to expedite this because classes start tomorrow.
Mr. Harit explained that the crane was not a demolition crane but an extension crane with a lifting arm that moves up and down. Such cranes require a weight limit system or an emergency stop function, which must be checked if operational. Preliminary inspection found the crane appeared normal. The incident might have resulted from the operator's negligence, causing overload shock or a system malfunction that flipped the crane backward.
Regarding legal matters, Police Colonel Duangchote Suwanjarat, Superintendent of Bang Rak Police Station, said charges of "joint negligence causing serious bodily injury" have been filed against the supervising engineer and the foreign crane operator. Six related companies were contacted; only one responded to give statements. If others fail to appear, summonses will be issued starting tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the Bang Rak District Office filed complaints against the contractor for "unauthorized building extension" under the Building Act, as permission was sought only for an extension without structural changes. However, officials found structural alterations upon inspection. The office also charged the company with "violating official orders" since Bang Rak District Office had ordered construction to stop in April, but the hotel continued illegal building.
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