Thaindian News

By Michael van Poppel
NEW YORK CITY (THAINDIAN NEWS) — Several buildings in Manhattan were evacuated on Saturday evening after a crane struck the 23rd floor of a skyscraper, officials said.

The incident happened around 7 p.m. local time at 80 Maiden Lane, a 25-story building near Wall Street. It caused numerous evacuations and caused the building’s facade to break off and crash to the ground, but there were no injuries.

New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri said the crane had been authorized to install mechanical equipment at the building, but was unsure what the crane was doing at the time it fell. LiMandri said the workers had most likely gone home for the day when the accident happened.

The buildings at 80 Maiden Lane, 90 Maiden Lane and 100 Maiden Lane were evacuated shortly after the accident. Later, 83 Maiden Lane and 2 Gold Street were also evacuated as a precaution. The residents were allowed to return home on early Sunday.

“I was super scared. They were banging on the door really loud and it was very scary,” one displaced resident told NY1.

Some residents were taken to a Red Cross shelter that was set up in a nearby school, while others sought refuge with friends.

On Sunday, New York City Department of Buildings spokesman Tony Sclafani said the mobile crane had not been secured properly at the end of the work day on Saturday. Sclafani said that contributed to the accident, but said a final determination on the cause is still pending.

The license of crane operator Christopher Cosban has been suspended as the investigation continues. The company which owns the crane, Bay Crane, declined to make a statement.

On March 15, 2008, a crane collapse in Manhattan at 303 East 51st Street on 51st Street killed seven people and injured 24 others.

A month later, on May 30, a crane collapse killed two construction workers on New York’s Upper East Side. A third construction worker was seriously injured.