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The driver of the crane was not seriously injured .

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Experts assess damage after crane topples at South Brisbane Updated Tue 7 Jun 2016, 9:32pm

A construction site crane that damaged a building in South Brisbane is expected to be removed overnight.

The crane toppled across Grey Street and became embedded in the side of a Griffith University building, which was evacuated a short time later. Grey Street will not be opened until the crane is removed.

Specialists were expected to arrive at the crash site after 9:00pm and would conduct an assessment, which could take several hours.

It was expected to be at least midnight before the extraction was attempted.

The driver of the crane was not seriously injured but was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Students and teachers inside the building felt the shudder as the crane crashed into the top of the building and sent debris flying on to the footpath below.

No students or staff were injured.

Griffith student Sara Finch was inside the building when the crane came down. "At the time I was in the photography darkroom studios with a few other students in there and we just heard an almighty crash," she said. "We didn't know what happened, we sort of came out and had a look around and then just kept working and then got evacuated about 10 minutes later."

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Jason Lawler said initial investigations found most of the damage was cosmetic. "It's mainly the facade of the building that's been damaged and the sail or the sun protection rather than the actual structural components of the building," he said.

Vice chancellor Professor Ian O'Connor said the first concern was for the safety of staff, students and visitors to the campus. "Working with the emergency services, we will make a full assessment of the damage to any services or the building structure and advise our staff and students as we have further updates," he said.

Workplace Health and Safety is investigating the incident.

First posted Tue 7 Jun 2016, 11:26am