The construction company at the site where a crane partially collapsed and caught fire in New York City this week is hailing the work of firefighters and first responders while vowing to “fully” cooperate with investigations into what went wrong.
The incident at 550 10th Ave. in Manhattan on Wednesday has left at least a dozen people with non-life-threatening injuries, three of whom are firefighters, the New York City Fire Department said Thursday morning.
“First and foremost, we understand that the workers involved are in stable condition,” Monadnock Construction Inc. told Fox News Digital in a statement. “We want to acknowledge and thank the FDNY and the other first responders who were able to safely remove workers and any pedestrians from the location and secure the site.”
“Safety is a priority for Monadnock Construction Inc. at this and every project,” the statement added. “We are fully cooperating with all regulatory agencies and are available for any assistance that is needed.”
NEW YORK CITY CONSTRUCTION CRANE CATCHES ON FIRE BEFORE COLLAPSE
This photo shows the moment a crane collapsed and struck a nearby building on 41st and 10th Avenue in New York City. (@Vithushaan/Twitter)
FDNY First Deputy Fire Commissioner Joseph Pfeifer said Wednesday that the crane was carrying a 16-ton concrete load that “crashed into the ground.”
The crane is owned by the New York Crane & Equipment Corp., according to officials.
In May 2008, a collapse of the company’s tower crane killed two workers on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The Queens-based company and its late owner, James Lomma, were acquitted of manslaughter and other charges, while a mechanic pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide.
Five years later, a crane owned by the company left a concrete cube dangling above a bustling pedestrian area for several hours, shutting down a major thoroughfare in Midtown Manhattan, according to The Associated Press.
One video shared of Wednesday’s incident appeared to show the arm of the crane attached to a building breaking off and hitting a building across the street, sending debris falling.
The arm then plummeted to the ground and a loud noise could be heard while people were seen running away from the scene.
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The crane could be seen on fire after its arm collapsed in Manhattan. (WNYW)
Jimmy Oddo, the NYC commissioner of the Department of Buildings, said Wednesday that an investigation into the partial crane collapse is ongoing.
“The folks who were involved in the crane operation, the general contractor of the project, we are looking at all of their histories to see what those stories are,” he said, adding that “We will look at the structural integrity of the building that was hit, we will look at the structural integrity of the building that was worked on.”
The building under construction where the incident happened, which is intended to be a 54-story mixed-use building, had all appropriate permits secured for the project, officials said.
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The arm of a tall construction crane crashes into a building and onto the street below after catching on fire in Manhattan on Wednesday, July 26, in New York City. (AP/Jimmy Farrington)
Pfeifer said the crane operator initially “saw that the fire started and tried to extinguish it.”
“So we give a lot of credit to the crane operator, but the fire overwhelmed that operator and [they] had to exit the crane,” he added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
