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Too bad.
He adjusted the counterweights, hit the hook release and detached the load.
But this had no effect.
The word “impossible” came to his mind yet again.
He cranked the counterweights backward once more.
Thishadto arrest the forward tilt.
No load and the counterweights were at the far end of the back jib.
And still …
“Dan,” he radioed, “we’re five degrees down, forward jib. Counterweights’re back.”
–6.1
A crane is not meant to lean more than five degrees. Beyond that, the complicated skeletons of steel tubes and rods and plates begin to buckle and bend. The slewing plate—the huge turntable that swung the jib horizontally—was groaning.
He heard a distant but loud crack. Then another.
–7
Into the radio: “I’m losing it, Dan. Hit the siren.”
Just moments later came the piercing emergency cry. This was not associated with a crane disaster specifically. It just meant somebad shit was going to happen. Instructions would be coming from the loudspeaker and on the radio.
“Garry, get out. Down the mast.”
“In a minute …”
If Big Blue was going down, he was going to make sure she landed with as few injuries to those on the ground as possible.
He scanned the surroundings. There were buildings almost everywhere.
But fifty feet to the right of the jib was a gap between the office building in front of him and an apartment complex. Through the gap, he could see a street and a park. On this temperate day, there would be people outside, but they had most likely heard the siren and would be looking toward the akilter crane.
Cars and trucks, with windows rolled up?
“I’m aiming away from the buildings. Have somebody clear that park on Eighty-Ninth. And get a flagman into the street, stop traffic.”
“Garry, get outta there while you can!”
“The park! Clear it!”
Creaking, groaning, the wind …
Another explosive snap.
He operated the swivel control and the slewing plate cried from binding against the bearings. The electric motor was laboring. Then, slowly, the jib responded.
“Come on, come on …”
Thirty feet from the gap.
Any minute now. He could feel it. Any minute she was going to drop.
