Storm Eunice sends crane crashing onto Belgian hospital

In a separate incident, a 79-year-old British man died after he fell from his boat at a marina

By Reuters

Published: Sat 19 Feb 2022, 11:21 AM

High winds sent a crane crashing onto the roof of a hospital in the Belgian town of Tournai on Friday as Storm Eunice swept in with gusts of up to 130km per hour (80 miles per hour).

There were no immediate reports of any deaths, though local media said there had been injuries, without giving any detail.

Images on social media showed the crane’s tip crashed into the roof of the hospital and through the ceiling of the top floor.

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Another piece fell on the ground on a building site close to the crane’s base that stayed standing.

In a separate incident, a 79-year-old British man died after he fell from his boat at a marina on a waterway in the northern town of Ypres amid strong winds, media reported.

A teenager was reported to be in critical conditions after he was hit by a falling branch while running in the nearby town of Menen, close to the French border.

The storm, which is also battering other northern European countries, including Britain, Ireland and the Netherlands, has disrupted transport services in Belgium.

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Several flights were cancelled at Brussels’ international Zaventem airport, where panels of the roof were damaged by the wind. Some bus and train services were also suspended.

The football game between the teams of Ghent and Seraing for the country’s top league was postponed after the roof of Ghent’s stadium was damaged by the strong wind.