Main Street and 41st Road in Flushing (Google Maps)
Jan. 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin
A 67-year-old woman was struck and killed by a sheet of plywood that fell from a Flushing building this morning.
Xiang Ji, of Westbury, NY, was walking eastbound on Main Street near 41st Road at around 9:44 a.m. when a piece of plywood flew off a building at 41-28 Main St. and struck her, police said.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found Ji unconscious and unresponsive on the sidewalk, police said.
EMS rushed Ji to New York Presbyterian Hospital/Queens where she was pronounced dead.
The property is owned by Ian Cheng, of Kam Kee Realty, and there were several outstanding building violations at the time of the incident– with a stop work order already in effect, according to city records.
“Currently, a Stop Work Order exists on the property due to several outstanding violations, and I have called for the city to shut down the building until there is a greater understanding of this building’s safety and scaffolding is in place,” Council Member Peter Koo said.
Building owners must ensure their building facades are safe, the Council Member added.
“Such a horrific tragedy should never happen to anyone who is simply walking down the sidewalk, and it is a clear example of why building owners and city agencies need to ensure building facades are safe, especially during periods of high winds.”
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory today and encouraged people to secure outdoor objects. Winds blew 20 to 30 miles per hour, with gusts up to 50 miles per hour today, according to NWS.
Koo sent his condolences to Ji’s family.
“My heart goes out to the family and friends of the woman who was struck by falling debris today in Flushing,”
