Crane Collapses on Project Site in Tebet, Residents Report Tremor Similar to Earthquake
JAKARTA — A crane truck lay on the side of Jalan KH Abdullah Syafii towards Casablanca in Tebet, South Jakarta, from Friday (13 March 2026) early morning after being involved in an accident whilst dismantling project equipment.
By Saturday (14 March 2026), the vehicle had not yet been evacuated, causing traffic congestion around the location.
Based on observations at the site, the crane truck remained lying on the roadside and drew the attention of passing motorists.
According to Arif, when the crane fell and struck a truck until it overturned, the vibration produced was extremely powerful, resembling an earthquake.
“Wow, it was really loud. Like an earthquake, like the building collapsed,” Arif told Kompas.com at the location on Saturday.
Arif recounted that before the incident, the crane was indeed in the process of being dismantled because the construction project at the location had been completed. At that time, residents in the vicinity of the project were asked to move away from the work area.
He described how, after finishing his pre-dawn meal at a nearby park bench, the crane suddenly fell. Arif suspected the accident occurred because one of the components on the crane’s hook had been damaged.
“They were about to dismantle the crane. The building was finished. But during the lowering, the steel rope snapped. Then it fell not long after,” explained Arif.
As a result of the incident, the crane struck a boundary wall between a school area and an adjacent restaurant. The wall that was struck reportedly collapsed.
He hoped the government would intervene promptly to assist with the evacuation process, as the overturned truck’s presence was causing frequent traffic congestion in the area.
Kompas.com was still attempting to contact Tebet Police Chief AKP Iwan Kurniawan and South Jakarta Civil Order Deputy Head Nanto Dwi Subekti to enquire about the evacuation process and the precise cause of the crane’s collapse.
Previously, it was reported that a truck lay on the side of Jalan KH Abdullah Syafii in Tebet, South Jakarta, causing traffic congestion on Friday morning.
South Jakarta Traffic Chief Commissioner Mujiyanto stated that the truck had fallen in a project accident that occurred the previous evening.
Evacuation had not been carried out because the road was heavily trafficked by vehicles. Additionally, the evacuation process required heavy machinery given the truck’s large size.