New York City Crane Collapses

GODREKR · #1 ● 08-03-2023, 09:38 PM

NYC crane fire and collapse was sparked by hydraulic fluid leak - with a dozen New Yorkers injured when molten debris rained down over Hudson Yards

26 July 2023- A construction crane caught fire, collapsed, and struck the side of another skyscraper before falling onto a rush-hour Manhattan street as terrified commuters ran for their lives.

12 people, including two firefighters, were injured after the building equipment suffered dramatic failure on 41st Street and 10th Avenue near Hudson Yards.

The blazing crane was attached to a luxury 47 story apartment building under construction at 550 10th Avenue, with the 16-tonnes of concrete it was carrying also smashed onto the street below.

It was seen striking the side of the 55-floor 555 10th Avenue apartment building opposite, although one eyewitness claims that tower was only struck with wet cement and was not seriously-damaged.

Construction worker Richard Paz told DailyMail.com that a cable being used to carry concrete to the top of the site overheated just before the fire broke out, although an official cause of the blaze is still being investigated.

Terrifying video footage shot Wednesday morning showed the crane collapse and strike a glass residential skyscraper opposite - while people staying in nearby hotels and apartment blocks were quickly evacuated.

People covered in blood were stretchered into ambulances as screams rung out from construction workers and commuters on ground level, eyewitnesses said.

Over 200 firefighters rushed up to a nearby balcony and desperately battled the inferno - which blazed 500 feet above the Manhattan skyline this morning.

The crane is owned by New Jersey-based Lomma, whose late founder James Lomma was ordered to pay $96 million to two construction workers killed when another of his cranes collapsed in 2008.

The dramatic incident sent debris spraying onto the streets - injuring multiple people below - while storefronts had their glass shattered.

The fire heated up the cable of the crane, which was holding 16-tonnes of concrete, causing it to snap and trigger the collapse, FDNY deputy commissioner explained.

Residents living with a view of the scene told DailyMail.com they heard screams from the construction workers at around 7.15am.

The crane controller was still inside the structure when the fire broke out and he escaped via the wooden plank below about five minutes later.

He tried to put out the fire, but was unable as the flames swelled.

The fire then took hold and the top half of the crane collapsed at around 7:30am.

It broke off and smashed into 555 Ten, an apartment building across the street, then hit the ground.

The resident told DailyMail.com: 'We saw stretchers and ambulances so there are injuries on the ground. The stores under have also had all their windows broken.

'We’ve now been evacuated from our building.'

First deputy fire commissioner Joseph Pfeifer said: 'At 7.25am this morning, we got a report of a fire in the engine compartment of the crane.

'We're talking about the engine compartment above the roof line, about 45 stories up.

'As our fire units responded to the scene, it collapsed. The top part of the crane, the boom, and a 16-tonne load crashed to the ground.

'At that point, we had injuries to civilians and firefighters but they were minor. We have four injuries to civilians, and two to our firefighters. Minor injuries.

'Most of the fire has been extinguished, but presently we have a fifth-alarm fire assignment, over 200 firefighters at the scene.'

A construction worker described how he immediately evacuated his team from the deck and stairwell when he realized the fire broke out.

Videos shared by the FDNY showed firefighters on the balcony of a nearby building spraying the burning crane in a bid to put out the flames.

It's understood that the I beam securing the crane structure was compromised and went up in flames.

The situation, which started just after 7am this morning, is a multiple-arm fire - indicating that the blaze is severe and is difficult to contain.

550 10th Avenue - the building that the crane was attached to - is a luxury rental tower consisting of 453 homes.

The 47-story tower is under construction, but will have over 20,000 sf of indoor and outdoor amenity space, as well as neighborhood retail on the ground floor.

The building is being designed by Handel architects.

And 555 10th Avenue, directly across the street, is the building that the crane crashed into.

It is a 56-story luxury apartment block with a pool on the rooftop - and has one of the city's most exclusive observation deck experience at 650 feet over the new Midtown West.

No one was injured at 555 10th Avenue this morning, it was confirmed.

Source