Authorities say crane boom collapses, kills Iowa man

CHESTER, Iowa – Sheriff’s officials say a man was killed when a crane boom collapsed onto him, pinning him to the ground, in northeast Iowa.

The Howard County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the boom fell on 57-year-old Timothy Brandau at his business in Chester on Wednesday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

An official cause of death was not provided, and sheriff’s officials haven’t said what caused the boom to fall.

A deputy who prepared the incident report didn’t immediately return a call Thursday from The Associated Press.

Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration Administrator Jens Nissen said he hadn’t been notified about the incident and couldn’t provide any information.