Crane Collapses at Queens Construction Site
Several construction workers were injured recently when a crane collapsed in Long Island City According to the NY Daily News, the crane came tumbling down at a luxury development at 46th Ave and Center Blvd. The crane had just been erected a few days earlier at the site which will be the final of several luxury towers built at the Queens West site.
Three workers were trapped underneath the wreckage of the crane. In all, seven were injured, though none of the injuries were life-threatening.
Witnesses described panic and fear as they saw the crane coming down and didn’t know where it would land. One said the crane cut through the site like “a hot knife through butter;” another described men yelling “Run!” and not knowing which direction to go.
Ironically, the crane in question is owned by New York Crane, the same company whose owner was acquitted of criminally negligent homicide in a 2008 crane collapse.
A statement from the NYC Buildings Commissioner indicates the crane was lifting as much as twice what it was approved to lift. It was also reportedly operating outside of the approved loading zone, according to CBS Local. A truck driver told reporters that the crane was being loaded with wood planks when it collapsed.
The preliminary investigation has led to the suspension of the crane operator’s license.
“As a result of our preliminary investigation, it appears that the operator was attempting to lift a load of 23,900 pounds – more than double the weight capacity for this particular crane. The preliminary investigation also shows that the operator was unable to see the materials being lifted and was attempting to lift those materials outside of the approved loading zone,” said a statement from Commissioner Robery LiMandri.
A Stop Work Order has also been placed on crane operations at the site.
Only a few complaints had been fielded by the City Buildings Department about the Queens West job site prior to this accident.
Crane accidents have the potential to be deadly. The injuries that result from these accidents are frequently severe. This is why the giant machines have some of the strictest regulations regarding their use and operation.
The crane accident attorneys of Ginarte Law Firm are committed to helping construction workers who are injured in these sorts of accidents, workers who are hurt because their employer, coworker, or property owner didn’t take precautions to keep them safe. Contact us today if you’ve been hurt in a construction accident like this.
