Massive Construction Crane Collapses In Lower Manhattan Killing One, Injuring Three More

An enormous 565 foot construction crane has collapsed in Lower Manhattan killing one person and injuring three more.

From the New York Times:

Mayor Bill de Blasio, speaking at news conference near the scene, said that while the wind was picking up, workers were trying to secure the crane when it toppled onto Worth Street shortly before 8:30 a.m.

The tangled metal wreckage spanned roughly two blocks between Hudson and Church Streets, and the impact caused leaks to gas and water mains in the area.

The collapse made for a jarring scene with the hulking piece of construction equipment — its boom stretching 565 feet — filling a typically busy area of Lower Manhattan.

The person killed was sitting in a car parked on Worth Street when the crane fell, Mr. de Blasio said. Two people were seriously injured, and another had minor injuries, from being struck by falling debris; their injuries were not life-threatening, the authorities said.

At the news conference, Mr. de Blasio said it was remarkable that the human toll was not worse, with the collapse coming during the morning rush in an area typically bustling with commuters. He said that as the crane was being secured, workers on the ground were keeping pedestrians away and that the precaution had saved lives.

It's incredible that the crane fell mostly along the length of the street.