Three people were killed and two injured after two 600-ton gantry cranes toppled in Shanghai at 0:25 Friday morning.

The two gantry cranes suddenly toppled during their lifting operations and the two injured were sent to hospital.

The two gantry cranes are heavy machinery of the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding (Group) Co., Ltd, under China State Shipbuilding Corporation.

Ai Baojun, vice mayor of Shanghai Municipality and rescuers rushed to the working site to rescue the victims, according to the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Work Safety.

Ai asked the bureau to investigate cause of the accident and vowed harsh penalty on those who are held accountable for the accident.

He also required to root out hidden dangers to avoid similar accidents.

(Xinhua News Agency May 30, 2008)