According to emergency medical staff with the FDNY, a crane break down in midtown Manhattan on the morning of Wednesday injured at least five individuals, including a fireman.
Social media videos showed the top portion of a crane collapsing, striking a building across the street, and then swinging back to strike the building that was being constructed as onlookers fled the scene quickly.
According to the FDNY, three individuals were transported to hospitals. Mayor Eric Adams told reporters that their wounds were not serious.
The firefighter was injured, according to two fire service sources, by falling debris. On 10th Avenue, which runs between West 41st and 42nd Streets in Hell’s Kitchen, a shot from the incident appears to capture a tangle of metal from the crane along with additional debris littering the pavement and street below the location of the crash.
According to Joseph Pfeifer, the deputy commissioner of the FDNY, the fire, which started in the crane engine roughly 45 storeys above and was reported at 7:25 a.m., happened shortly after the fall. Social media videos of the incident show the crane’s top portion on fire as clouds of black smoke rise above.
The crane operator attempted to put out the fire but was unable, according to Pfeifer, who added that “the crane operator managed to get out and is safe.”
Firefighters heard the collapse as they were traveling to the area, according to Pfeifer. According to Pfeifer, the crane’s top portion, its boom, and a 16-ton load were all involved in the collision.
According to Pfeifer, the neighborhood’s buildings were evacuated.
Immediately after 8:15 a.m., the city issued an emergency alert warning New Yorkers to “traffic delays, expect smoke, a presence of emergency personnel and vehicles in the area.”
Just after 8:45 a.m., another alert was sent out referring to the incident as a “five alarm fire.” The alert included advice from the town’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that suggested “avoiding smoke exposure from structure fires by shutting windows while indoors and lowering outdoor activity where smoke is present,” especially for people with the heart or breathing conditions like asthma.
The effects of the collapse, according to Adams, “could have been much worse.” The fact that we weren’t there at a busy period of the day is very fortunate for us.
Adams’ opinion was confirmed by Pfeifer: “That was a good morning — it might have been a lot worse.”
According to Pfeifer, there were over 200 firefighters including emergency medical workers on the scene.
According to Adams, authorities were attempting to remove the crane and put out the fire.
James Oddo, commissioner of the Department of Buildings, claims that the 54-story mixed-use structure currently under construction will be its final form.
According to Oddo, all applications for the building as well as crane operation were authorized.
Oddo stated that the Department of Buildings will examine the occurrence and that a separate evaluation will also be carried out.