35-ton crane crashes

A 70,000-pound, 60-foot-long boom crane wrecked on the southbound 405 Freeway just north of Harbor Boulevard on Friday morning, crashing through a sound wall and throwing debris into a backyard swimming pool that borders the freeway.

The crane was traveling southbound on the freeway shortly before 6 a.m. Friday when the right front tire of the vehicle separated and became entangled in the undercarriage of the vehicle, California Highway Patrol Sgt. Paul Pines said.

The crane careened across three lanes of the freeway before crashing through a sound wall and another retaining wall, tossing brick and debris onto a residential swimming pool.

The homeowner was out of town on Friday, and neighbors were watching the house at the time, Pines said.

No injuries were reported as a result of the crash, he said.

Reporter BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at [email protected].