A terrifying scene unfolded at a construction site when a drilling rig suddenly collapsed onto several vehicles and a storage container with two workers trapped inside.
The incident happened shortly after 8 a.m. on Sept. 19 near SE 12th Street and Brickell Bay Drive. The rig landed on three vehicles and the storage container where the two construction workers were working.
Photos and videos from the scene showed the massive rig lying across the vehicles, with flames visible around some of the cars.
Firefighters and technical rescue crews rushed in to reach the two trapped workers. A crew member had to cut them out of the large metal storage container while other firefighters worked to control the fire.
Both workers, ages 29 and 27, were eventually freed and taken to a nearby trauma center with minor injuries. The 47-year-old crane operator also managed to jump clear as the rig began tipping over and was taken to the hospital.
A woman whose car was struck by the falling rig also escaped. Miami Fire Chief Robert Hevia said she managed to reverse her vehicle just enough to get out before the car caught fire.
In total, four people were hospitalized, but authorities said everyone involved was brought to safety with no major injuries.
Hevia described the rescue as a complex scene and said it was remarkable that the people involved escaped with only minor injuries.
The cause of the drilling rig collapse was not immediately detailed in the report.