PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – The Interstate is back open after severe weather caused a crane to collapse in Pinellas County on Thursday, closing the roadway overnight.
The Florida Highway Patrol responded after the crane collapsed onto the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 at Roosevelt Boulevard around 11 p.m. Thursday night.
“I’m freaking out a bit, but keeping my composure,” said driver Chris Ellington by phone.
Ellington told 8 On Your Side he was one of several drivers who watched the crane crash down. Ellington said several drivers had to slam on their brakes and missed being crushed by seconds.
“Absolutely terrified. Here it is about an hour and a half later and my knees are still shaking a bit because I just narrowly missed being crushed. Had I done anything differently, left 10 seconds earlier, I might have been underneath that. Eight to ten seconds and that could of been it for me, and people would have been planning a funeral for me in about five days from now,” Ellington said.
8 On Your Side has learned the crane is part of the Archer Western/DeMoya Joint Venture Gateway project.
No one was injured during the incident.
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