<!DOCTYPE html>
<script>
    onload = function() {
        var elm = document.getElementById('elm');
        elm.offsetTop; // trigger layout
        elm.style.display = 'none';
    }
</script>
<style>
    .spanner { -webkit-column-span:all; }
</style>
<p>Test removal of column content before a spanner.</p>
<p>You should see the word "PASS" on a lime background below.</p>
<div style="-webkit-columns:4; -webkit-column-gap:0; overflow:hidden; width:4em; background:lime;"><div id="elm">F<br>A<br>I<br>L</div><div class="spanner">PASS</div></div>