(Scypre.com) – Authorities in New York City are urging the public to stay away from a section of Manhattan following an alarming incident on Wednesday. A construction crane caught fire and partially collapsed, resulting in approximately 16 tons of concrete and debris cascading down onto the streets below.
According to reports, at least six people have been injured in the mishap, including two firefighters who were responding to the emergency. Thankfully, the injuries are reported to be minor, a fact emphasized by New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who expressed gratitude that the situation was not worse given the amount of debris strewn across the area.
FDNY First Deputy Fire Commissioner Joseph Pfeifer provided further details, mentioning that a firefighter experienced chest pains and was being transported to a hospital. The incident occurred around 7:25 a.m., when the FDNY received a report of a fire originating in the engine compartment of the crane, located approximately 45 stories high.
Regrettably, as emergency units were en route to the scene, a collapse ensued, causing the top part of the crane, known as the boom, and a 16-ton concrete load to plummet to the ground. This resulted in injuries to civilians and firefighters, fortunately still minor in nature.
A video shared on social media showed the crane arm breaking off from a building and striking another building nearby, causing debris to fall in the surrounding area.
The New York City Police Department promptly issued a tweet advising people to avoid the affected vicinity, specifically the area between 10th and 11th Avenues from West 41st Street to West 42nd Street.
By around 9:30 a.m. local time, the majority of the fire, which had escalated to a five-alarm fire, had been extinguished. Nevertheless, approximately 200 first responders remained at the scene.
The cause of the fire has not been determined yet. Authorities confirmed that the building under construction, intended to be a 54-story mixed-use structure, possessed all the necessary permits for the project. There were reports of challenges for the first responders in reaching the fire due to insufficient water pressure for hoses.
Con Edison, the energy company, was present on-site and prepared to cut off gas in the area if required, as one of its main gas lines ran directly beneath 10th Avenue. The address of the collapse was disclosed as 550 10th Avenue.
Pfeifer commended the crane operator for their initial efforts to extinguish the fire but acknowledged that the fire eventually overwhelmed them, leading to their safe exit from the crane. Mayor Adams confirmed that the crane would be disassembled once the fire was fully extinguished.