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| The aftermath of the crane collapse at vacant construction site in Manhattan, New York City on Wednesday. (Image Courtesy: NYC Department of Building) |
A dozen individuals, which included nine civilians and three firefighters, encountered non-life threatening injuries subsequent to a crane collapse in New York City on Wednesday. New York Fire Department acknowledged this information to CNN.
All the wounded parties were conveyed to local medical facilities, as stated by the FDNY.
Among the firefighters, one exhibited symptoms of chest discomfort and was transferred to a nearby hospital. However, all injuries were deemed non-life threatening, according to New York Fire Department Deputy Commissioner Joseph W. Pfeifer, who conveyed this during a press conference. Pfeifer further added that some of the civilian casualties were construction workers.
The incident transpired at a construction site situated on 10th Avenue and 41st Street. Firefighters had been responding to a five-alarm fire that had erupted before the crane's boom eventually collapsed, striking a building across the street, as mentioned by city officials.
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| Smoke rises from a construction crane that caught fire in Manhattan on Wednesday. (Image courtsey: Seth Wenig/AP) |
The fire has since been extinguished, as reported by the crews present at the scene. Late on Wednesday morning, FDNY officials utilized drones to conduct a closer inspection of the crane.
The conflagration broke out while the crane operator was in the process of hoisting approximately 16 tons of concrete, as divulged by Pfeifer to the reporters. The operator became aware of the fire within the crane's engine and attempted to douse the flames. However, the intensity of the fire overwhelmed the operator, leading to a safe evacuation from the crane's cab.
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| A crane collapses at a construction site in Manhattan, NYC on Wednesday. (Image courtsey: From @jimmy_farring/Twitter) |
Upon the firefighters' arrival, the boom had already plummeted to the ground. Pfeifer mentioned that over 200 fire and EMS personnel responded throughout the duration of the incident.
Officials are of the belief that the fire compromised the crane's cabling to an extent where it lost its structural integrity, leading to the eventual collapse, Pfeifer explained.
In the aftermath of the collapse, the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) conducted an inspection, concluding that the tower crane and the impacted buildings remained "structurally stable," as conveyed through the agency's tweet.
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| Firefighters oversee a construction crane that caught fire and collapsed on Wednesday. (Image courtsey: Kena Betancur/AFP/Getty Images) |
"The DOB inspectors and engineers will continue to oversee the situation while developing plans for the safe removal of the collapsed crane. Simultaneously, they will also endeavor to ascertain the underlying causes that contributed to this unfortunate incident," the department asserted.
Footage shared on Twitter showcased flames and smoke billowing from the crane before its boom descended, striking the building at 555 10th Ave across the street. The office of Mayor Eric Adams released images showing debris strewn on the street below.
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| Top view of the damaged crane that collapsed in Manhattan, New York. (Image courtesy: NYC Department of Building) |
Richard Paz, an ironworker present at the site on Wednesday morning, relayed to CNN that he observed the crane emitting smoke, prompting him to alert others, "That's not a favorable sign."
Paz witnessed the crane operator attempting to extinguish the fire, but when the situation escalated beyond control, the operator was left with no choice but to descend from the crane.
During the news conference, Commissioner of Buildings James Oddo declared that the authorities would scrutinize each party involved in the crane's operation as part of the investigation into the collapse. Furthermore, the department's engineers would evaluate the structural integrity of the building impacted by the falling boom.
New York City officials urged the public to anticipate the presence of emergency personnel, smoke, and potential traffic delays in the affected area, as communicated through the city's emergency notification system. People were advised to avoid the region spanning between 10th and 11th avenues from West 41st to West 42nd, as stated by the New York Police Department on Twitter.
Summarised from the Original Article by: CNN
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