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Worker slightly injured after mobile crane collapses at Crosstown LRT site

A worker was slightly injured when a mobile crane collapsed at a Crosstown LRT construction site on Monday.

The crane slid into a sinkhole and tipped over at Mount Pleasant Road and Eglinton Avenue East, according to Kristin Jenkins, communications director for Crosslinx Transit Solutions, a consortium of companies building the light rail line.

Toronto firefighters and police were called to the site at 5:55 p.m.

Jenkins said the worker who was injured was running to get out of the way. He went to hospital to have the injury assessed.

"Fortunately, the operator of the crane is fine. We did have one minor injury. A worker moving out of the way of the crane slipped and banged his knee," Jenkins said.

The crane had been sitting on a concrete pad for the past eight months, but the ground gave way underneath it, she said.

The boom, which tipped over, is now extended over two traffic lanes on the north side of Eglinton Avenue East that were already closed for construction. The tip is extending over the sidewalk.

Ontario's Ministry of Labour has been notified.

According to Jenkins, the crane was stationed at the site where the underground Mount Pleasant LRT station is being built.

"The incident will be thoroughly investigated," she said.

"Once we are able to get on site and look, we will develop a plan to repair the sinkhole. But before that can happen, we need to remove the crane."

Jenkins said there is no threat to public safety.

"Safety is Crosslinx's number one priority. We have a good safety track record. It was very unfortunate that this happened," she said.

"The site is secured. We will investigate it. And we will safely remove the crane and address whatever has caused the sinkhole."

Toronto police said Eglinton Avenue East is closed from Mount Pleasant Road to Taunton Road.