A 30-year-old worker was killed in a construction crane accident in Manhattan, during which a crane collapsed. Another worker was hospitalized for a leg injury, and three were treated for minor injuries, including shortness of breath.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority was building an extension of the No. 7 subway line when the crane collapsed. The MTA has suspended construction while it inspects other cranes at sites throughout the city.
The 120-foot-long crane arm broke into two pieces. At least one worker was pinned under one of the pieces.
It is not clear whether the other injured workers were directly struck by the crane or whether the collapse caused other construction material to fall. Workers were about 60 feet below street level at the time of the accident.
The deceased worker, Michael Simermeyer of Burlington, New Jersey, was working for subcontractor J&E Industries.
The crane’s operator was 56-year-old Lawrence Anderson, Simermeyer’s uncle. The crane was owned by Yonkers Contracting Co.
Sadly, this is not the only crane collapse in Manhattan in recent memory. In March 2008, seven people were killed and more than 20 injured in a Midtown accident.
In May 2008, a collapse on the Upper East Side killed two people and injured a third. The crane’s owner is on trial for manslaughter for the May accident.
The cause of this accident is being investigated by police and the Department of Buildings.