The accident happened at a site run by Square General Contracting, close to the Millennium Hotel. A Square General Contracting representative spoken to by Cranes Today explained that legal advice meant the company could not comment on the details of the accident, but said that the men killed were not Sharjah employees. He could not give the details of the crane used, or the crane contractor, but said that it was from a well-reputed manufacturer whose cranes are used at hundreds of sites in the Gulf region.
Despite the lack of a clear and informed public explanation of the causes of the accident, speculation is rife. Much of what has been written by local papers should be viewed with caution. Gulf News reports that workers at the site have said the accident occurred as a crane operator—identified as Nagaraju—tried to correct an unbalanced crane, working on the 25th floor of the job. The crane collapsed, killing Nagaraju and a second worker, ‘R.K.’, on the ground. Both men were from India. Another local paper, the Khaleej Times, quotes Lieutenant Ahmed Rashid, deputy officer at Al Buhairah Police Station, who says the accident apparently occurred due to excessive loading; other reports describe the crane’s rope snapping. Until an official investigation has taken place, it will be impossible to determine the accuracy of these reports.