NPR

Miami's Tower Construction Cranes Pose 'Potential Danger' During Hurricane

The cranes have arms that can't be tied down and their heavy counterweights pose a potential danger. They're designed to withstand 145-mph winds — less powerful than those of Hurricane Irma.
The deputy director of Miami's building department, Maurice Pons, said in a city statement that he "would not advise staying in a building next to a construction crane during a major hurricane like Irma." Here, a high-rise building under construction is seen Thursday in Miami. / Alan Diaz / Shutterstock.com

As southern Florida prepares to take a direct hit from Hurricane Irma, officials have warned people in downtown Miami to take special care because of the 20 to 25 tower construction cranes that loom over the area, hundreds of feet tall.

The tower cranes are this week. Irma is now a Category 4 storm, but it's bringing maximum sustained winds of 150 mph — and gusts of more than 180 mph — as it churns toward Florida's coast.

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