TikTok star dies in freak crane accident caught on video

The harrowing moment a crane operator and rising TikTok star died during a freak accident was captured in a horrifying video that’s now going viral online.

The disturbing incident occurred Tuesday while Elvira Demidova, 31, was using a crane to load concrete in Tymen, a major oil hub in Siberia, East2West News reported. A gust of wind had reportedly blown the structure over, causing the cabin to topple 40 feet to the ground, killing the single mother of two on impact.

In the horrific 40-second clip, uploaded by Russian news site 72 RU, the machinery can be seen being blown across the construction site by the powerful gales with its flailing lifting hook obliterating everything in its path. Without warning, the crane topples over and plummets to the concrete below.

Prior to her death, Demidova had racked up more than 41,000 TikTok followers by sharing candid stories about her day-to-day life as a crane operator, according to the Daily Mail. Her account now appears to be deactivated on the viral video-streaming platform.

“She was the best woman in the world. I don’t know anyone who would say bad things about her,” the deceased woman’s husband, Oleg Demidov, told 72 RU. “She was sociable, kind, sympathetic, faithful. I don’t know yet what I will do next. I need to get over the shock. Now the main thing for me is to bury her as a beloved woman.”

A crowdfunding campaign has since been set up to help pay for the late machine worker’s death and to also care for her son and daughter, who are currently living with Demidova’s mother.

Authorities have since launched a criminal investigation into the cause of her tragic death, according to local news reports.

Demidova had worked for a company called Mostostroy-11, which has been awarded multiple state contracts, according to East2West News. The firm’s boss, Nikolay Russu, was recognized by Russian leader Vladimir Putin in 2020 for the company’s role in erecting the bridge connecting annexed Crimea and Russia.

The incident marks the latest in a string of high-profile TikTok star deaths of late. In June, California Tokfluencer Cooper Noriega, who boasted nearly 2 million followers, reportedly died mere hours after uploading an eerie TikTok video about dying young.