1 dead, 2 injured after construction lift topples over in West Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Authorities said a man was killed and two were critically injured in an industrial accident after a construction lift toppled over, crushing a utility work van in West Philadelphia Friday afternoon.

Philadelphia police said the men fell two stories from the lift, also known as a cherry picker, just before 1 p.m. The accident happened at 44th and Moravian streets.

Emergency medical services took two of the men to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, who police said were in critical condition. One of those men, according to police, was 47 years old and was pronounced dead at 12:59 p.m.

Police said a third man, who was in extremely critical condition, was taken to Lankenau Medical Center.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Labor told CBS News Philadelphia the employers involved are Vuong HVAC and Smart Builders I, LLC. Adding neither company has a prior Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection history.

Linda Cook said she was inside her home when all of a sudden she heard a loud thump.

"Looking out my second-floor window I saw some guys running down the block so I came out to see what was going on. I came out my back door and saw three bodies there and it looked like the crane had collapsed and I saw my neighbor and he said he dialed 911," Cook said.

Police said OSHA and Philadelphia's Department of Licenses & Inspections are investigating the crash. OSHA added they have six months to finish their investigation.