Seven Hurt In Construction Collapse
A 380-foot crane reportedly attempting to lift twice its approved weight collapsed onto a Long Island City building on Wednesday, Jan. 9, sending seven workers to local hospitals.
The collapse happened at about 2:30 p.m. last Wednesday at 46-10 Center Blvd., near the area’s iconic Pepsi-Cola sign. According to news reports, the crane’s operator was attempting to lift a load of 23,990 pounds, more than twice its allowed weight, when it collapsed onto the building below.
Seven construction workers were injured.
A DOB statement announced that the operator’s license was suspended, and a Stop Work Order has been issued citing unsafe crane operation.
TF Cornerstone, the site’s developer, issued a statement to news outlets that “site safety is always our first priority as it relates to construction, and we are cooperating fully with all relevant authorities to try and determine what caused this occurrence.”
According to news reports, the crane was leased to Cross County Construction, a Westchester County company, by the New York Crane and Equipment Corp., which was involved in two 2008 Manhattan crane collapses. The company’s owner, James Lomma, was acquitted in April of last year of manslaughter charges stemming from the second 2008 collapse.
