chaos in downtown miami

[ryan2772]

dude fell 39 stories, pretty sad.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14368678.htm

Parts of downtown Miami will remain closed to traffic the rest of the day -- and probably into Wednesday morning -- as authorities try to secure the crane that caused the death of a construction worker Monday night.

The road closures have caused miles-long backups on Interstate 95 and the Dolphin Expressway through downtown Miami.

Meanwhile, authorities disclosed the identity of the deceased construction worker. Police said Jesse B. Morris, a 47-year-old man from Douglassville, Ga., plummeted to his death Monday night when he fell from a downtown skyscraper on Biscayne Boulevard.

Morris had been standing on a concrete crane platform at the Marina Blue condominium, under construction at Northeast Eighth Street and Biscayne Boulevard. The platform broke beneath him around 6:30 p.m., fire-rescue officials said.

Another worker, Jesse Morris, 20, believed to be the elder Morris' son, also fell, but was saved by his safety harness. Co-workers coached that man back onto the building and he was taken to the hospital where he was reported in good condition on Tuesday.

City of Miami Police and Fire-Rescue officials had not determined what might have caused the crane's platform to crack, although winds were strong at sunset.

Biscayne Boulevard, Northeast First and Second avenues, and Northeast Fifth through 10th streets were all closed to traffic Monday night, out of concern that the large yellow crane that runs up the full length of the condo building might collapse.

Police officers and the developer at the construction site at Biscayne Boulevard at Northeast Eighth Street are trying to bring in another crane to secure the damaged one.

''Until that's done, it won't be safe for pedestrians or motor traffic,'' said Lt. Bill Schwartz, a Miami police spokesman.

Officers have cordoned off Northeast First and Second avenues, and Northeast Fifth through 10th streets. They fear the yellow crane might collapse.

The Biscayne Boulevard exit ramp on the Dolphin was closed mid morning and traffic was being re-directed to head east over Biscayne Bay and loop around the Parrot Jungle facility heading west onto Biscayne Blvd.

The Miami Dade Transit Authority said the Metromover's Omni Loop will likely remain closed until at least tomorrow. A shuttle bus has been added in its place, but it, too, is stuck in traffic.

''We're waiting for the crane to be secured to the building,'' said Manny Palmeiro, spokesman for the Transit Authority.

An official for the crane company at Morrow Equipment Company said he didn't know how long it would take to secure the crane.

The worker fell from a concrete crane, whose platform had cracked, at the Marina Blue condominium currently being built at Northeast Eighth Street and Biscayne Boulevard.

Another worker was saved by co-workers and his safety harness.

The cause of the crane's platform crack is under investigation. The workers' identities have not been released.

North Bayshore Drive, normally a calm two-way street, turned into a free for all. Drivers hopped the sidewalk and drove in the wrong lane, forcing fellow drivers to swerve or come to a complete stop.

At intervals, the chaos was so overwhelming it turned the street into a parking lot of buses, trucks, cars, sport utility vehicles and motorcycles.

Miami Herald staff writer Nicole White contributed to this report.

[Bling]

YEP my mom works on the beach took her an extra 45 min to get in.. the tie up was horrendous .. thank god i left early

[Guest LiquidX]

yea.. traffic rippled all the way to the golden Glades interchange.. especially on the normal rush hour morning traffic. That thing was crazy.

[Guest Cosmigonon]

Shit. And I gotta go to Coral Gables tomorrow...