SPU student, Marines veterans, former city director among 4 killed in crane collapse

A Seattle Pacific University freshman, a former city employee, and a pair of Marines veterans were identified as the four victims killed in a crane collapse in South Lake Union on Saturday afternoon.

RELATED: Mercer reopens for commuters after crane collapse

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan released the following statement Monday afternoon, following the announcement that one of the four people who died in Saturday’s crane collapse was former Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Development Alan Justad.

The City of Seattle family has lost a true public servant. Alan was a friend to many at the City of Seattle during his decades of outstanding service to our great City. Alan was respected for his commitment to service, his warmth, and his relentless belief in doing good for Seattle. So many in Seattle are grieving today as they absorb this terrible news. I’m holding Alan’s family and loved ones in my thoughts as they mourn this loss. This accident was tough for so many in our community – from our ironworkers to Seattle Pacific University to the City of Seattle family, and we continue to send our deepest condolences to those who lost ones they knew and loved.

The mayor’s office says that Justad was a longtime employee of the city of Seattle. He retired in 2014.

SPU sent an email to students early Sunday morning identifying freshman Sarah Wong as one of the deceased. Wong was in a car on Mercer Street during the time of the accident.

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. 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.

Travis Corbet was identified Sunday evening by his wife Samantha as one of the ironworkers killed in the crane collapse. The other was 31-year-old Andrew Yoder. Both Corbet and Yoder served in the Marines. Corbet and his wife live in Oregon.

Wife of Travis Corbet said he was one of the 4 people killed in the Seattle crane collapse — an ironworker who served our country as a Marine.

RIP 🙏🇺🇸 @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/vWbuMw8mh4

— Michael Spears (@MichaelKIRO7) April 29, 2019

“He was just so lovable and so kind to everybody that he met,” said Samantha Corbet in a phone interview with KIRO 7. “He was just amazing.”

Samantha Corbet said Travis served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps and had worked as an ironworker ever since. The couple lived in Oregon.

“I would do anything to have him back,” said Samantha Corbet. “It just breaks my heart that something like this could happen to him.”

Samantha Corbet said she and Travis Corbet had been together seven years and were married last June after getting engaged in 2016.

“We were supposed to go on our honeymoon this June to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary,” said Samantha Corbet. “But obviously, that’s not going to happen.”

“No one should ever have to go to work and not come home from their jobs,” said Washington State Department of Labor and Industries spokesperson Tim Church.

SPU’s dean for Students of Community Life Charles Strawn spoke on the school’s campus that seems a world away from Mercer Street where the crane fell to the ground. But this is where Sarah Wong and a fellow student were Saturday, in a car.

“Sarah was an amazing young woman and we’re going to miss her dearly,” said Strawn.

The dean said he did not know where they were going.

“We just know that they were downtown,” he said.

Wong died at the scene, and her friend who was also in the vehicle, emerged unscathed. Strawn says Wong made an impact in her short time at SPU.

“She was really involved with her Pacific Islanders community on campus,” said Dean Strawn. “In fact, just a week or so ago they had a major event and she was not only performing but also doing all this stuff behind the scenes. Just a real amazing young woman. We were lucky to have her with us.”

What happened in downtown Seattle was felt across the school’s campus.

“It’s very bizarre for something like that to happen,” said Meg Rouse, an SPU freshman. “Because I feel like we have so many cranes in Seattle; and like kind of scared to drive around especially knowing that someone like from my school passed away.”

The dean says Sarah Wong’s family has arrived from South Pasadena, California, where she grew up.

They are working with the family to figure out how they want to honor her.

A 25-year-old Seattle woman and her 4-month-old daughter, both of them in an Audi, survived. A Shoreline man was driving his vehicle and was treated at the scene. The 28-year-old Lynnwood man driving his vehicle remains in Harborview Medical Center in satisfactory condition.

MyNorthwest contributed to this story.