Quick Read
- A crane collapsed in Dubbo CBD during a storm with winds up to 115 km/h.
- No injuries reported; the female crane operator was unharmed on site.
- Emergency evacuations and a 150-metre exclusion zone were established.
- Storm caused power outages affecting over 15,000 premises in western NSW.
- Severe thunderstorm warnings remain in effect for the surrounding region.
DUBBO (Azat TV) – A construction crane collapsed in Dubbo’s central business district on March 25, 2026, during a severe storm with wind gusts reaching 115 kilometres per hour. The collapse triggered emergency evacuations and road closures in the regional hub, raising immediate public safety concerns and causing structural damage to nearby buildings.
Dubbo crane collapse during intense wind storm
The crane, located on Blight Street in Dubbo’s CBD, was caught in powerful winds just before 4pm. Video footage from a nearby building shows the crane’s boom swaying violently before detaching and collapsing sideways into a nearby apartment building on Church Street. Residents described hearing intense screeching and scraping noises as the crane fell.
Emergency response and safety measures in Dubbo CBD
NSW Police promptly established a 150-metre exclusion zone around the collapse site. Buildings on Blight, Wingewarra, Church, Macquarie, and Talbragar streets were evacuated as a precaution. NSW Ambulance confirmed that the female crane operator was on site at the time but was uninjured. Four ambulances remained on the scene following the incident. There were no reports of injuries among bystanders or residents.
Severe storm impacts extend beyond crane collapse
The crane accident coincided with a severe dust storm sweeping across western New South Wales, causing widespread damage to electricity infrastructure. Over 15,000 premises lost power, including around 1,900 in Dubbo. Traffic lights in the city’s CBD also stopped functioning due to power outages. Wind gusts above 90 km/h were recorded in surrounding towns including Coonamble, Cobar, and Mudgee. The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe thunderstorm warnings for multiple regional areas, urging residents to remain indoors and avoid downed powerlines.
The Dubbo crane collapse underscores the escalating risks that extreme weather events pose to urban infrastructure and public safety in regional Australia. As climate variability intensifies, authorities face growing challenges in managing emergency responses and safeguarding critical facilities amid volatile conditions.