This was on the news last night ~ "oops" is a massive understatement ~ the crane did an astounding amount of damage to the home, almost slicing it into 2 halves ~ it's VERY lucky no one was killed ~ and how the hell does "the happy couple" just skip off on vacation? ~ ~ Sooz

Oops: Dutchman destroys a house while trying to propose to his girlfriend

Agence France-Presse | 15 Dec 2014 at 09:17 ET

An over-amorous Dutchman became a homewrecker — literally — when a crane he was using to have himself lowered into his girlfriend’s garden for a marriage proposal fell through the neighbour’s roof.

The unnamed man hired a crane in the central town of Ijsselstein to lower him over his girlfriend’s house and into her garden for the surprise proposal early on Saturday morning, emergency services spokesman Jelle Mulder told AFP.

“The crane the man wanted to use to propose fell on a house. During the attempt to right it, the crane unfortunately slipped and fell on the house again,” Mulder said.

Neighbouring houses have been evacuated and the huge crane is still on top of the house.

“We’re looking at the best way to lift the crane without it falling again,” said Mulder.

The would-be fiance jumped to safety and no one else was hurt, Mulder said.

“The people in the house the crane fell on are deeply shocked,” he said.

The authorities will decide if the house needs to be demolished after the crane is lifted.

Despite the fiasco, the girlfriend accepted the marriage proposal, Dutch media reported, and the couple has now gone on holiday.

“They had a trip to Paris planned and the police told them that there was no reason to cancel,” said Mulder. “I don’t know if they’ve gone.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/12/oops-dutchman-destroys-a-house-while-trying-to-propose-to-his-girlfriend/

Hope that crane company has good insurance. There's a video of it.

I'd say contractors who reserved a crane from Slootjes Cranes are probably cancelling in droves today.
No outriggers? The crane operator is a doofus! And the guy who was supposed to lift the crane.

Edit: Looks like they had an outrigger out but still!

The chain that "broke" on the original boom was in the wrong place. Just eyeballing it makes it obvious.