Crane collapse at Smethwick hospital building site
A crane has collapsed on to a building at a hospital construction site.
A 20m section fell on the flat roof of a building at Smethwick's Midland Metropolitan Hospital at 11:40 BST. West Midlands Fire Service said it appeared the crane was being dismantled when it fell but no-one had been hurt and there was minimal damage. A hospital trust spokesman said the collapse would be thoroughly investigated and the Health and Safety Executive had been informed. Alan Kenny, director of estates and new hospitals at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, said: "We were informed immediately of this incident and notified that no-one has been harmed. "I am confident that this matter will be thoroughly investigated." The fire service said it had handed over to builder Balfour Beatty and a plan was being put in place to make the area safe. A Balfour Beatty spokesperson said: "The surrounding area was immediately secured and works have now ceased on site while the crane section is safely removed, after which works will resume." The £350m hospital was left two-thirds finished after the collapse of construction company Carillion in January last year. Work resumed at the site after the government pledged £300m of funding. Construction was due to be completed in October 2018 but the trust has since said the hospital will not be open until 2022. Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.