Posted on 03/15/2008 6:11:31 PM PDT by firebrand
Four people are dead, more than a dozen were injured and at least one person remains trapped in the rubble of a crane collapse in Midtown Saturday in what the mayor called "one of the worst [construction accidents] the city has had."
Fire Commissioner Nicholas Scoppetta said firefighters will continue the rescue effort through the night in a "painstaking, hand operation, as they try to remove the rubble.
Four construction workers were killed when the 15-story crane apparatus collapsed onto a four-story brick townhouse at 305 East 50th Street between First and Second Avenues at about 2:22 p.m. Saturday.
Juan Perez, a cleaner at Fubar on the ground floor of the crushed building, was removed from the rubble hours after the accident and taken to Bellevue Hospital.
Fubar owner John LaGreco told authorities that he believes a female employee was at work at the time of the accident and could be buried amid the rubble. LaGreco was late for work and was not in the building at the time.
At least seven other workers were seriously or critically injured in the crash, and at least ten other people were injured, three of whom are said to be in critical condition.
Searchers were using dogs, thermal imaging, and listening equipment as the search for survivors stretched into the evening hours in a daunting and massive coordinated rescue effort expected to last through the night.
About 300 firefighters and 150 police officers were on the scene, in addition to representatives and workers from the Office of Emergency Management, the Department of Buildings, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Environmental Protection, EMS, Con Ed, the Red Cross and cross, EMS, OEM, and Con Ed among others.
Incoming Governor David Paterson, who was in town for an event Saturday evening and arrived at the site at 6:40 p.m., said that of all places where such a tragedy could occur, New York City is the "best prepared place for it to happen."
"Though we lost four lives, there were herculean efforts to save three others who remain in critical condition," Paterson said, adding that he had offered the state's resources to the mayor.
Stephen Kaplan, the owner of Reliance Construction Group, which is responsible for construction at the site, said that a freak accident caused a piece of steel to sheer off one of the ties that secured the crane's 15-story boom apparatus to the building.
One part of the boom snapped off and struck three townhouses on East 50th Street, stretching across half a city block. Another part of the boom came to rest against an apartment tower, buckling its facade and smashing its upper floors. Another piece of the crane hit several other buildings on the block, ripping away walls and ceilings.
Neighbors said the 15-story white crane, owned by New York Crane and made by the Australian company FAVCO, appeared unstable of late. But the unit passed an inspection conducted by the city on Friday, and the proper permits were in place for the raising of the crane that was taking place when the crash occurred.
The crane was being used at the construction site for a high-rise condominium, 19 floors of which have been constructed so far. Engineers say that building remains secure.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said there have been 13 violations against the building under construction at 303 East 51st Street, but added that the is not an unusual number of violations for a building of its size. Workers were "jumping the crane" Saturday in order to add another floor to what will be a 43-story condominium.
The small, brick three-story building at 305 East 50th Street, which housed Fubar, was leveled in the wreckage. Outside, at least one car was turned on its side, and other nearby cars had their windows blown out.
Authorities quickly blocked off the surrounding area amid concerns of a further collapse. Several surrounding buildings were either partially or fully evacuated: 300, 306, 308, 309 310, 311 50th Street, and 954 Second Avenue. Shelter is being provided for evacuees at the School for Art and Design at 228 East 57th Street, where the Red Cross is coordinating the necessary assistance.
Many area residents who were home at the time of the crane collapse described a terrifying scene, interrupting the mild, spring-like day.
Roberto Salazar, who was dining in a restaurant across the street from the collapse, saw debris rain down onto the building's patio, and then ran out onto the street to see a "huge plume of dust and debris" that completely blocked visibility.
Greta Welkhammer, who lives several blocks north of the collapse site, said the building collapsed "like a house of cards."
George Conway, who witnessed the collapse, described seeing a "cloud of yellow dust" immediately after the crane toppled over.
Others described hearing loud booming noises, like those heard in a demolition, and smelling a strong odor of gas.
"We lost at least four people - innocent victims, innocent construction workers - on this most beautiful day on the East Side," said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer. "People are going to be going to funerals - if that does not rev up people's anger to say enough is enough - we've got to work this out."
Saturday’s crane collapse follows several months of serious and deadly accidents at construction sites around the city.
On January 14th, a construction worker pouring concrete fell 42 stories to his death at the construction site of the new Trump Hotel in SoHo when a plank he was standing on gave way. Two other workers were seriously injured in the accident.
Before that, on December 14th, an architect was paralyzed when a crane at the Goldman Sachs building site in Lower Manhattan dropped 14,000 pounds of steel onto his trailer below.
And on August 18th, two firefighters were killed in a fire that broke out during the demolition of the Deutsche Bank building at the World Trade Center site.
Following that string of accidents, Stringer announced the creation of the Borough Watch Construction Working Group to oversee site safety at city construction sites, saying the number of safety violations at high-rise locations more than doubled last year.
City officials are advising motorists of a number of street closures in the area, including East 51st Street between Second and Third Avenue, cross-town traffic between 53rd and 57th Street, Second Avenue between 49th and 53rd Streets and Third Avenue between 50th and 52nd Streets.
Con Edison has also cut off gas at several buildings at East 50th and East 51st Streets, including the crushed apartment building.
I hadn't heard of Liebherr, so I googled it--this is claimed to be the "LTM 11200-9.1-- Worlds Most Powerful Mobile Crane".
Anyway, I assume their first priority is to lift the fallen boom in order to search the smashed building. That seems straightforward. I'm curious just how they'll deal with the crane's 19-story tower, which leans against the building across the street. I'd pay good money for a seat just out of range. Any idea how they'll manage?
Did it look like this? I would hate to meet this on a narrow bridge.
Interesting. I'll have to take a trip over on the PATH one of these days.
It must be a notch or two down from that one. The boom was extended about 10 stories but it looked like it had a little ways to go.
Man, that thing is amazing.
Peek through the fence. The purposeless pit we’ve been staring at for so long is showing signs of life.
It’s been so long since I’ve been on the PATH... I forgot you won’t need to peek through any fence; you’ll have a front row seat. I’ve heard people refer to it as “the Disney ride from hell” back in the day.
Interesting that your parents once lived in the Turtle Bay area. There used to be a great pizzeria/Italian restaurant on 2nd near 52nd called Rocky Lee, but it is no more.
I used to commute into work via the WTC PATH pre-9/11, so I remember it well. Riding into the site is kinda cool now - as you said, a front row seat. However, it is a little strange disembarking into a light-filled open area that used to be all enclosed.
He also did a tribute to the Marines in The Hunted. You have to read a few chapters before the marine appears, but then the marine takes over the story. One of my favorites.
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