Austinite killed in UT crane collapse

RICHARDSON, Texas (KXAN/AP) - One of the men killed Saturday in the collapse of a crane on the University of Texas at Dallas campus is from Austin, officials said Monday.

Thomas Fairbrother, Jr., 58, was working with a crew to disassemble the crane when the accident happened and he was killed. Also killed was Terry Weaver, 50, of Grand Saline, Texas.

They were both employees of Harrison Crane and Hoist, an outside construction firm. The company has no history of violations with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

A witness in a nearby campus library told reporters the accident sounded like a loud crash of metal from the sky. He also heard screams.

The weather may have been a factor. A meteorologist with the National Weather Service says a band of thunderstorms moving through the area brought wind gusts in excess of 40 miles an hour.

The crane was being used to construct the Arts and Technology Building scheduled to be completed next year.

Officials from OSHA are investigating the deaths. They arrived at the scene on Saturday evening.

No other injuries were reported.