A routine scrap job turned dangerous Friday morning when a crane collapsed at CSX Transportation’s Jacksonville Intermodal Yard, injuring two contract workers, officials said. The workers, employed by a scrapping company, were dismantling cranes at the site when one came down. Emergency crews rushed them to a local hospital, and CSX says it is looking into what went wrong.
How the collapse unfolded
According to Action News Jax, the two contract workers were hurt while taking apart cranes at the intermodal yard. Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department units and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office responded to the scene and transported both workers to a hospital for treatment. Officials did not immediately release information about their conditions.
Where it happened
The incident took place at CSX’s intermodal terminal at 5902 Sportsman Club Road on Jacksonville's northside, a major freight yard that handles container transfers between trains and trucks. Mapping listings, including Apple Maps, identify the site at that address as CSX Intermodal Jacksonville. The yard is a key hub for cargo moving to and from the Port of Jacksonville and through the broader freight network.
Safety and oversight
Work that involves putting cranes together or taking them apart falls under federal safety rules that can trigger inspections and enforcement when something goes structurally wrong, such as a collapse. OSHA's Cranes & Derricks guidance details assembly and disassembly procedures, operator qualifications and other safety requirements for lifting equipment. Although rail operations can have certain exemptions, employers are still required to follow established rigging, equipment and worker safety practices on the job.
Investigation and next steps
In a statement to Action News Jax, CSX said that "the cause of the incident is under investigation." Local or federal workplace safety agencies may review the scene, equipment and records as part of any probe, and CSX has said it will cooperate with investigators. Authorities had not released additional details about what led to the collapse or the workers' current conditions at the time of the report.
We will update this report when officials and CSX provide more information.
