A construction crane toppled at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas, on June 23 during debris removal operations following the most recent Starship test explosion. Yet days later, officials from the newly incorporated municipality of Starbase have refused to provide any information regarding possible injuries or operational consequences—highlighting a growing concern over transparency under SpaceX’s corporate-led governance.

Independent space observers, including Lab Padre, captured footage of the crane collapse from afar. “The remote filming angle prevented determination of personnel endangerment or casualty status,” as their vantage point was too distant to assess the impact of the incident in detail.

Neither SpaceX nor Starbase municipal leadership have acknowledged the accident. According to TechCrunch, repeated requests for information have been met with silence—a pattern consistent with the company's general communications approach. While rocket test explosions are typically publicized, "other operational matters typically remain undisclosed."

However, the dynamic has changed since SpaceX's Boca Chica site formally became part of the newly incorporated city of Starbase. During a prior incident—a Starship test stand explosion last week—municipal officials did issue a brief social media statement. In this latest case, “no similar communication has emerged regarding the construction equipment collapse,” and officials “have systematically avoided responding to direct information requests.”

This marks one of the first major tests of Starbase’s transparency as a functioning government entity—a city where top SpaceX executives serve in public office and municipal finances depend on the company’s support. Starbase was officially incorporated in May 2025, following overwhelming support from a voting base primarily composed of SpaceX employees.

“This incident represents an early evaluation of Starbase’s commitment to governmental transparency while operating under SpaceX executive leadership and serving as headquarters for over 200 company personnel.”

Bobby Peden, SpaceX’s VP of Texas Test and Launch, serves as mayor, while other city officials include Jordan Buss, the company’s environmental and safety director, and Jenna Petrzelka, also a SpaceX veteran.

In late May, city leadership began issuing notices to residents in areas designated for mixed-use redevelopment, warning that they may “lose the right to continue using” their properties. At the same time, entry restrictions around the site have tightened. Buss told local media that outsiders would be granted access “if there’s a need to be in the city” and that emergency responders would be given “access codes.”

Whether such emergency support was required on June 23 is unknown. The Cameron County Sheriff’s Department told TechCrunch that no incident reports were filed from Starbase during the relevant timeframe. Requests for comment from Brownsville and Cameron County fire departments have gone unanswered.

The only confirmed action is an ongoing investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), according to CNBC.

SpaceX, like other Elon Musk-led ventures, has a contentious relationship with federal safety regulators.

“SpaceX’s workplace safety record includes numerous problematic episodes,” the article notes. “OSHA investigations require substantial time periods, while the agency faces resource constraints from Musk’s DOGE initiative reductions.”

The tension between Musk’s companies and OSHA has been long-standing. In a 2019 incident, Tesla reportedly refused entry to OSHA inspectors at its Nevada facility—even when accompanied by sheriff’s deputies and a judicial warrant.

As the investigation continues, questions mount not only about equipment safety at one of America’s most high-profile aerospace sites, but also about the role of corporate-controlled local government in disclosing critical information to the public.

Originally reported by Technology.Org.