One dead, two injured as crane collapses in New York

The Associated Press reports that “the crane landed across several parked cars, smashing their roofs”.

Robert Harold, who works at the Legal Aid Society, said: “It was right outside my window”.

It’s not clear what caused the collapse, but Storm Team 4 says it is unlikely that weather conditions could have caused the heavy construction crane to collapse.

The location of the crane collapse, at 40 Worth St. and West Broadway, Manhattan.

Firefighters were also investigating a report that a wrecking ball attached to the crane snapped off the structure and fell through the roof of a building. He said gas has been shut off in buildings around the area.

The crane was inspected by the Buildings Department yesterday because the company had requested permission to extend it to its current 565 feet height.

The recommendations included requiring crane owners to maintain records on their equipment and require more stringent oversight during important stages of crane assembly.

At the news conference in City Hall, the mayor was accompanied by NYPD Chief of Department James O’Neill, Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler, FDNY Chief of Department James Leonard.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said the 1 train was skipping stops at the Franklin Street station near the collapse site. “No work was done this morning because the crew made the decision to bring the crane down to the secure position”. At least three other people suffered injuries that were not life-threatening, with two taken to a hospital for head lacerations, officials said.

Bride-to-be Nesh Pilay, 25, is assisted by a New York City firefighter after the crane collapsed near the beauty salon where she was having her hair done.

Fire officials said utility workers were taking gas readings in the area and making plans to excavate and cap a low-pressure gas main in the wake of the collapse.

Additionally, all crawler cranes (which this one was) and tower cranes have been ordered secured.

An employee at Bay Crane, whose company name is on the structure, said an investigation was under way.