35. Mecca Crane Collapse, Saudi Arabia
Built: 638 A.D. (Masjid al-Haram)
Collapsed: 2015
Est. Damages: $100 billion* (Renovation Cost)
A crawler crane, which is a type of machine that is usually used to lift and lower materials during construction, collapsed in Mecca, Saudi Arabia over the Masjid al-Haram. The crane collapse took place on September 11, 2015, and the death toll was 111. There were nearly 400 injuries as well.
Mecca Crane Collapse, Saudi Arabia @alankabir / Pinterest.com
The accident is the deadliest crane collapse in the history of construction. The King of Saudi Arabia halted awarding contracts to the construction company responsible, the Saudi Binladin Group after the incident was found to be partially caused by human error and strong winds. Fourteen individuals were tried for the incident, and several dozen others were investigated.