ZDF Enterprises

Episode one begins on an unremarkable Dutch canal. What we see unfold, however, is anything but.  It’s one of the most dramatic construction catastrophes in recent history:  a double telescopic crane collapse, a barge capsizing and a 187-ton bridge span all careening into a quiet residential neighbourhood resulting in the total destruction of dozens of homes.  The reason? A combination of wind, lack of balance and crane operator error.

From there, we travel to Asia, where some of the world’s biggest construction sites fail before construction even begins. We witness a variety of construction site collapses: massive holes in the ground that implode in dramatic fashion, hurling retaining walls, roads and equipment dozens of metres below into a pit. Substandard soil conditions and reclaimed land seem to be the biggest reasons for these fails.