Campus Alert Archive
UTD

Two Harrison Crane Workers Die as Wind-Driven Collapse Ends the UTD Arts Building Boom

TXinfrastructure failureadvisorymedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On July 7, 2012, a tower crane being dismantled at the University of Texas at Dallas collapsed during a storm front, killing two construction workers and prompting the university to close the surrounding area of its Richardson campus. The crane fell at approximately 3:00 PM CDT as wind gusts exceeding 40 mph passed through the site of the new $60 million Arts and Technology Building.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
2
Injured
0
Institution
University of Texas at Dallas
Public R1 · TX
~29,000 students
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTUnknown
Approximate reconstruction248 chars
UT Dallas Police have closed the area near West Campbell Road on campus following a crane collapse at the Arts and Technology Building construction site. Two construction workers were killed. Please avoid the area. Emergency personnel are on scene.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The university closed the area around the West Campbell Road construction site immediately after the collapse; classes were not in session (Saturday in July) so the closure affected construction crews and any campus visitors rather than students.
The alert text is reconstructed from multiple news accounts; official UTD alert archive was not publicly accessible for verification.
ALL CLEARUnknown
Approximate reconstruction227 chars
UT Dallas Police have declared the area near the Arts and Technology Building construction site safe. West Campbell Road access has been restored. OSHA and investigators remain on scene. Classes will resume as scheduled Monday.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The site reopened the same day the crane fell, per reporting by Occupational Health and Safety Online, suggesting the physical hazard was contained quickly even as the criminal investigation continued.
Student leaders later organized a noon moment of silence on July 11 on the campus mall to honor the two workers, suggesting the university communicated about the deaths through follow-up channels as well.
Context

Background

The University of Texas at Dallas was in the midst of a major construction expansion when a Terex Peiner SK415 tower crane being dismantled at the site of the new Arts and Technology Building collapsed on July 7, 2012. The victims -- Terry Weaver and Thomas Fairbrother Jr. -- worked for Harrison Crane and Hoist of Grand Prairie. Engineering News-Record reported that investigators immediately questioned whether the disassembly sequence was correct, noting that the jib had already been removed but the tower section came down anyway, possibly after wind gusts exceeding 40 mph struck the partially dismantled machine. The CBS News report confirmed the university closed the surrounding area and that no students or faculty were injured -- the incident occurred on a Saturday in July when the campus was largely empty. OSHA opened a formal investigation that could last up to six months. UTD student leaders organized a moment of silence on July 11 to honor the dead workers, and a wrongful-death lawsuit was later filed by a victim's widow.
Analysis

Key Findings

Tower crane being dismantled at a $60 million campus construction site collapsed July 7, 2012, killing two Harrison Crane workers during a storm front with 40+ mph gusts
The incident happened on a Saturday in summer with minimal campus population, limiting injury risk to bystanders
OSHA investigated whether the disassembly sequence was properly followed; the jib had already been removed when the tower section fell
The site was closed and then reopened the same day; the university held a community moment of silence on July 11
Outcome
Terry Weaver, 50, of Grand Saline and Thomas Fairbrother Jr., 58, of Austin were killed. No students or faculty were hurt. OSHA investigated; the site near West Campbell Road was cordoned off and then reopened later the same day.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    2 workers killed in crane collapse at University of Texas in Richardson - NBC News
    nbcnews.com
  2. News
    UTD Crane Collapse Kills 2 - NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
    nbcdfw.com
  3. News
    2 dead in crane collapse on UT-Dallas campus - CBS News
    cbsnews.com
  4. Source
    Questions Raised About Disassembly Process Following Fatal UT Dallas Crane Collapse - Engineering News-Record
    enr.com
  5. Source
    UT Dallas Site Reopened After Crane Collapse - Occupational Health and Safety
    ohsonline.com
Tags
constructioncrane-collapseworker-fatalityinfrastructure-failureosha-investigationtexascampus-construction-boom
Added June 2026Updated June 2026Via ingestion