A woman who was in a house when a crane fell on the roof described the moment when her husband saw the 80-ton animal approaching.
Sylvia Liewerenz burst into tears and started shaking as she talked about the horror encounter that she said could have cost her husband Marco’s life.
“He was only three feet away,” she told the daily just hours after the crash.
“He saw (the crane) coming because it was coming towards him.”
Sylvia and Marco Liewerenz are now being forced into temporary accommodation after an 80-ton crane crashed through the roof of their Nirimba home.
Police at the site of the crane crash said it was a miracle residents got away unharmed when the 80-tonne vehicle crashed into three houses.
Sunshine Coast Police Officer Tony Hurley said three people were in one of the homes when the crash happened around 4:30 p.m. on Friday in Benjamin Crescent, Nirimba.
“It really is a miracle and people were lucky not to be injured in this incident,” he said
Marco and Sylvia Liewerenz and a visiting friend were at their house in Benjamin Crescent when a crane crashed through the roof.
The impact of the crash was so significant that residents several blocks away said they heard it.
“I just yelled everyone’s name, grabbed the dogs and ran out of the house,” said Ms. Liewerenz.
“I was shaking and it could have hit us. ”
There was a gaping hole in the ceiling of the house’s garage, and debris was strewn on the floor as a result of the fall.
Filled with emotion, the couple and a visiting friend saw them standing and viewing the damage from their back yard.
Neighbors of a Nirimba couple who are homeless after a crane crashed through their roof Friday afternoon.
“I was full of energy. I yelled at poor Tradie, what did you do, you head?” I’m really sorry, “said Ms. Liewerenz.
“I was just shocked and devastated and then I realized that I could have lost my husband tonight.
“It was so close.”
The couple, originally from Switzerland, have been married since 2014 and only moved into Benjamin Crescent’s house five weeks ago.
The tenants just settled in when their lives were turned upside down.
Fortunately, no one was injured after a crane fell over in Nirimba on Friday afternoon. Image: Bailey Scott
The neighbors rushed to help the couple, who were given time Friday night to remove some of their belongings.
“It’s just amazing to have storage space now,” said Liewerenz. “The neighbors were so great.”
The two are now concerned about the next steps as they don’t have home and content insurance.
The crane company had told tenants that they would be providing long-term accommodation.
A short term was needed that allowed dogs.
“I’m just thinking about how we’re going to pay for this,” she said.
“Everything just came to me at once.”
Clayton’s Towing said it would take days to remove the crane.
It was expected that the occupational safety officers would be on site again on Saturday.
