This morning, a terrible tragedy occurred as a crane collapsed in TriBeCa around 8:30 A.M. Early reports indicate that at least one person has been fatally injured, and two others have sustained serious injuries.
The massive crane, operated by Bay Crane, now lays down the path of Worth Street stretching from West Broadway to Church Street.
It appears the crane was working on 60 Hudson Street, a longtime industrial building undergoing renovation to luxury apartments. The crane was parked on Worth Street.
This busy lower Manhattan neighborhood is home to New York Law School, and various other State and City offices and agencies, as well as many private businesses.
The impact crushed many cars along the street and has caused a water main break and a possible gas main break. Emergency crews are on site, along with City and Con Edison officials. The gas lines are being checked, and the stability of the buildings struck by the crane is being checked by the Department of Buildings.
Unfortunately, this is not the first major crane collapse in the New York City area to occur in recent times. With the vast expansion and revitalization of certain neighborhoods, such as TriBeCa, the sight of cranes climbing as high as 20 stories in the sky is common.
Those who are responsible for the placement, operation, management, inspection and control of these cranes must uphold their duty to ensure that these types of tragedies don’t occur.
Leav & Steinberg has successfully litigated and obtained full and fair compensation injuries sustained in a crane collapse which occurred in New York City in 2008. Cases such as this require early representation to ensure that rights are protected. It is critical to seek legal counsel early on to protect a potential claim.
Sources
https://abc7ny.com/news/crane-collapses-in-tribeca;-1-dead-2-seriously-injured/1188104/
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/02/05/lower-manhattan-crane-collapse/
https://pix11.com/2016/02/05/breaking-crane-falls-on-cars-in-financial-district/
