VIDEO: A sidewalk shed collapsed in front of a building in Manhattan on Friday, after two mini cranes fell from above and onto the scaffolding. FDNY officials say the collapse happened just after 3 p.m. at 501 Nineth Ave. between West 38th and 39th streets in Midtown.
They say the 12-story building at the location is under construction. According to the Department of Buildings, two mini cranes, or so-called “spyder cranes,” were in use. One of the cranes was on the roof of the building attempting to hoist the second crane from the ninth floor to the 10th floor, when the mini crane on the roof became dislodged, sending both cranes down to the sidewalk shed below. The impact then caused the scaffolding to collapse onto the sidewalk.
Hordes of captivated New Yorkers were grateful they weren’t under the rubble. No injuries were reported. “I was first like hoping no one was injured because it’s a sidewalk obviously and I walk there like so many times a day,” witness Calie Greig said. “It sounded kind of like someone moving a dumpster but it just went on for so long we knew something was wrong,” witness Karen Detoro said.
FDNY Assistant Chief Mike Meyers said the construction mishap could have been significantly worse due to the time of the incident and its proximity to Times Square.
