New York City crane collapse – live: 12 injured after 16 tonnes of concrete rains down on Manhattan
Follow updates on the fire and collapse of a construction crane in Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan
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A construction crane caught fire and partially collapsed in the heart of Manhattan on Wednesday morning, sending commuters fleeing for their lives as rubble rained down onto the streets below.
The fire broke out at around 7.30am ET on a crane on a building under construction along W 41st St and 10th Avenue, close to Hudson Yards.
Bystander footage showed the top of the crane alight before it suddenly collapsed, crashing into a building opposite where it appeared to smash several windows. New Yorkers in the streets below were seen running away from the carnage.
Two construction workers told The Indepednent about the “terrifying” moment the building they were working in was suddenly struck by the crane.
“We’re walking down the stairs and that’s when you hear the boom, boom, boom,” Alexander, a construction worker who only wished to be identified by his first name, told The Independent.
Twelve people – nine civilians and three firefighters – were injured in the collapse, the FDNY told CNN.
All suffered non-life threatening injuries while one of the firefighters suffered chest pains.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said that it was “extremely lucky” more people weren’t hurt.
In pictures: Drama as crane burns and partially collapses in Manhattan
Video shows crane crashing into Manhattan skyscraper after catching fire
This terrifying footage shows a large construction crane on fire in Manhattan. The arm of the crane hits a building as it crashes into the street below. Videos posted across social media show flames bursting from the crane above 10th Avenue on 41st street. The crane’s arm scraped the top floors of a skyscraper across the street as it fell, shortly before 8am New York time. There are no immediate reports of any injuries. Emergency services are at the scene.
Construction workers speak of terror as crane came down
“We’re walking down the stairs and that’s when you hear the boom, boom, boom,” Alexander, a construction worker who only wished to be identified by his first name, told The Independent.
“My heart is beating out of my chest because after that rumbling I’m like ‘this building is going to come down,’” Alexander said.
Alexander was working on the 12th floor of the under-construction building at 550 10th Avenue when a nearby crane caught fire and partially collapsed.
Jahsaan Osborne, who was working approximately two floors above Alexander, said they began evacuations when someone said the crane caught fire.
It wasn’t until the men were in the stairwell with others that the arm of the crane fell and smashed into the side of the building, causing the structure to tremble.
Mr Osborne said: “I was walking down the stairs and the building is rumbling, you’ve got people behind you who could trip, fall – it got a little scary.”
In videos shared to X, formerly known as Twitter, and Instagram, those filming the scary scene gasped at the sight of it.
While people watched in awe from afar, inside the building, Mr Osborne and Alexander said panic ensued.
“This guy, I see him fall head-down feet-up down the stairs when the rumbling happened and people start trampling over him,” Alexander recounted.
He added: “I saw that happen and I’m like ‘I can’t trample this dude because if we all die here today and that’s the last thing I do, that’s not how – the last thing I do is step over my brother and not even help him.’”
Alexander said his heart was beating out of his chest while he waited for the fallen man to get up and continue making his way down the stairs.
Mr Osborne said he was “shaking”.
Not the first crane accident for city, or equipment owner
The crane is owned by the New York Crane & Equipment Corp., one of the city’s most widely used crane providers, officials said. The Queens-based company has been involved in other crane problems in recent years, leading to criminal charges and new safety measures around New York City’s crane operations.
The company did not respond to a request for comment.
In May of 2008, a collapse of the company’s tower crane killed two workers on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The company and its owner, James Lomma, were acquitted of manslaughter and other charges; a mechanic pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide.
It was one of two deadly crane accidents in 2008, leading to the resignation of the city’s buildings commissioner, as well as new safety measures around testing and oversight of crane operations.
Five years later, a crane owned by the company left a concrete cube dangling above a bustling pedestrian area for several hours, shutting down a major thoroughfare in Midtown Manhattan.
Recap: At least 12 injured after New York City construction crane partially collapses
A construction crane sitting 45 stories atop a building in the Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood of New York City caught fire and partially collapsed on Wednesday morning.
Around 7.30am, a fire broke out on the arm of a crane located on a building under construction near Tenth Avenue and West 41st Street.
Photos and videos taken from the incident showed the crane ablaze for several moments with dark, thick smoke billowing from it.
Officials said the operator was using the crane to lift 16 tonnes of concrete when he saw the blaze and tried to extinguish it.
Read more...
At least six injured after NYC construction crane partially collapses during fire
Part of construction crane sitting atop Manhattan high-rise fell onto a nearby building on Wednesday
What caused the fire before collapse?
Authorities have said an investigation is still underway to determine what caused the crane to catch fire before it collapsed into a Manhattan hi-rise on Wednesday morning.
However, one high-ranking city official revealed what investigators perceive so far to be the cause to CBS New York.
The official said a preliminary investigation suggested that hydraulic fluid had leaked onto a hot plate near the engine of the crane, sparking the fire.
The ongoing investigation into the official cause is being led by engineers with the Department of Buildings.
Crane operator tried to extinguish fire before fleeing
City officials said the operator of the crane noticed the blaze and attempted to put it out with hand extinguishers.
Eventually, the flames became too overwhelming and he had to leave his post.
Moments later, as firefighters responded to the scene at about 7.25am, the fire weakened the structure to the point of partial collapse.
Stunning video captured the arm of the crane crashing down, brushing an adjacent skyscraper as debris rained to the street below.
Streets still closed a day after collapse
Streets around the site of the crane collapse on Wednesday morning remain closed more than 24 hours later.
10th Avenue, where the collapse occurred, is blocked off between 39th and 42nd streets.
Additionally, 40th Street is closed between Galvin and Dyer avenues and 41st Street is closed between 9th and 11th streets.
Authorities have not offered a timeline on when the roads could be reopened.
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