Traffic was shut down in both directions, officials said, and one ambulance transporting a victim even became stalled in the gridlock, New York’s Pix 11 reported.
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UPDATE-Tuesday, July 19, 2016, 1:10 p.m.: Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said there were three minor injuries when the crane collapsed Tuesday on the Tappan Zee Bridge. The one remaining southbound lane will remain closed until further notice.
A massive crane fell on the Tappan Zee Bridge in NY today, causing mass amounts of traffic in the afternoon.
Cuomo and Rockland County Executive Ed Day said the Westchester-bound side of the bridge had a “punch through” hole caused by the falling crane in the right-most lane, and a hole in the external guard rail as well as structural damage underneath.
The sudden crash of a large construction crane left five people injured on the busy Tappan Zee Bridge, located along the Hudson River.
“The seven-land, 3-mile cantilever bridge – the longest in New York State – opened to traffic in 1955”.
The crane appears to be a new 300 tonne Manitowoc ML300 equipped with the VPC Max variable counterweight attachment.
“The traffic backup is probably the biggest problem we are dealing with, and thank God that’s all we’re dealing with”, Cuomo said.
All George Washington Bridge lanes were to remain open to help drivers displaced by the crane accident. The county executive tweeted that the crane operator was shaken but not hurt.
Ned McCormack, Westchester county spokesman said he’s “thankful that it’s only a few minor injuries”.
It had been on a new bridge that’s under construction alongside the old bridge. Authorities are advising drivers to avoid the Tappan Zee Bridge and surrounding area and expect extensive traffic delays. Emergency crews rushed to the scene.
For any of the southbound lanes to reopen, some surface plates must be put in place for stabilization, and moving barriers will also take time, Cuomo said. Environmental groups said it would be an inappropriate use of funds that were intended for costs associated with drinking water, sewage and other water projects.
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On March 12, a tugboat smashed into a construction barge and sank, drowning the three crew members.
