South Pasadena Mourns Teen Killed In Crane Accident

SOUTH PASADENA, CA — A young woman from South Pasadena was killed Saturday when in a massive construction crane toppled onto commuters in Seattle where she attended college.

Sarah Wong, a graduated of Futures Academy in Pasadena and a freshman studying nursing at Seattle Pacific University, was killed when a construction crane for a new Google campus crashed onto the car she was riding in. She was one of four people killed in the accident that also took the lives of two construction workers. Another three people were injured — an infant, a 27-year-old man, and a 25-year-old woman.

The cause of the crash was not immediately clear, and state workplace safety officials were on scene to conduct an investigation.

The university called for the community join in praying for Sarah’s family and friends.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm that one of our students passed away in the crane accident in Seattle on April 27. Sarah Wong was in a car on Mercer Street when the crane fell. She was a freshman with an intended major in nursing and lived on campus," according to the university. "While we grieve the sudden and tragic loss of our precious student, we draw comfort from each other, our strong community of faith, and God’s presence with us in times of sorrow. We ask that the community join us in praying for Sarah’s family and friends during this difficult time."

Wong's best friend Lauren Tan told the Los Angeles Times she was a passionate environmentalist, who left behind countless heartbroken friends.

“Sarah touched so many lives throughout her short time on Earth. She spread so much love, encouragement, and kindness to everyone around her,” Tan told the newspaper. “Anytime I was unsure about something, I’d always text her to ask for her opinion because I knew she’d know exactly what to say. Sarah taught me to never be afraid to take risks and to follow my heart.”

"My thoughts and prayers are with those killed and injured," Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan wrote on Twitter Saturday afternoon. "Determining how and why this tragedy happened will take time."

The crane was at a development called Lakefront Block 25, which is being built by Vulcan Inc., the development firm founded by Paul Allen. The development includes office buildings for Google's Seattle campus and 149 apartments. The construction site stretches along Mercer between Terry Avenue and Fairview. The development was also damaged in the crane collapse.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to the families who have lost loved ones and our hope is that those who have been injured return to full health as soon as possible," Vulcan said in a statement Saturday night.

Patch Staffer Neal McNamara contributed to this report.