At least 4 killed in Thailand crane collapse: police

A crane collapse at a construction site in Bangkok on Saturday has left at least four people dead, with rescuers still working to retrieve a fifth body trapped under the debris, Thai police reported.

The accident occurred in the early hours of the morning on Rama II road, a major highway connecting Bangkok to the country's southern region.

At the site, where a tollway was under construction, at least four construction workers were confirmed dead, while dozens sustained injuries, according to the police.

"We have retrieved four bodies, but one remains trapped in the debris," said senior police official Sayam Boonsom, adding that the fifth person was presumed dead.

Among the victims, three were Thai nationals, Sayam confirmed.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collapse.

An eyewitness speaking to Thairath TV described hearing two loud bangs before seeing the crane fall.

"Workers were pouring cement when it happened," the witness recalled.

Construction site accidents are common in Thailand, where lax enforcement of safety regulations often results in deadly incidents.

In November last year, a crane collapse in Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok, killed three workers and injured 10 others.

A similar incident in March 2024 claimed seven lives when a crane collapsed at a factory east of Bangkok.

In 2023, at least two people died and a dozen were injured after a road bridge under construction in Bangkok collapsed.