UPDATE 8:20 a.m .: The Texas Department of Public Safety identified victims of a crane breakdown Thursday evening that left Interstate 10 closed to the west near Smith Road for several hours.
Driver Sarfaraz Karowadia (37) and passenger Altaf Kasowadia (37) were pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Travis McCall.
According to the DPS, both men were from Friendswood.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Interstate 10 westbound on Smith Road reopened hours after an accident that left two people dead when a crane fell onto the interstate Thursday afternoon.
Texas Department of Public Safety Spokesman Sgt. Stephanie Davis said the soldiers responded to the call around 4:30 p.m., but the crash was originally reported as heavy equipment dropped from a utility vehicle.
“The construction workers in the area worked and operated a heavy crane,” Davis said in a statement. “It appears that the crane malfunctioned and hit the Toyota pickup.”
DPS reported that the initial crash investigation revealed that a 2013 Toyota pickup truck was driving on I-10 near Smith Road when the crane collapsed and the cab was crushed by the equipment.
Both occupants of the Toyota pickup have been reported deceased, and soldiers are working to identify both victims, according to DPS.
This report will be updated.
Isaac Windes contributed to this report.
