GEORGE TOWN: A man died while three others sustained serious injuries when a tower crane toppled and fell on three pre-war houses at the junction of Transfer Road and Sri Bahari Road early Tuesday.

Leong Yee Khoon, 64, was believed to be sleeping in his room on the second floor of a pre-war house when the tower crane at a construction site opposite the house toppled around 12.15am.

The other three who sustained injuries were Luar Chooi Guan, 77, Luar’s wife Chew Hong Choo, 76, and their son, Seong Ean, 55. All of them occupied the same house as Leong.

The crane was being used to construct a 20-storey hotel.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s building located at Sri Bahari Road, behind the pre-war houses, was also damaged in the incident.

State Fire and Rescue Department director Azmi Tamat said the injured victims were rushed to the Penang Hospital.

He said rescue personnel faced difficulties in retrieving Leong’s body, which was buried underneath the debris.

“We don’t know how the crane had toppled but it could be due to strong winds,” he said.

Azmi said the department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) had been informed of the incident.

– The STAR