Was crane to blame for NYC AC unit drop?
5 June 2015 by Daniel SearleA crane accident has been blamed for a 23USt AC unit falling almost 30 stories into a busy New York street. However, with no official report, it remains possible that other causes may have been to blame. Cranes Today understands that the load may in fact have been removed from the crane before the unit fell.
Ten people were injured in the accident, with seven taken to hospital, after a 23USt air conditioning fell to the street while being placed by a crane. It is currently unclear whether the unit was still attached to the crane, or if it had been placed on the building.
The unit was being placed in an office building in Manhattan, before falling 28 stories onto the street below, the New York Times reported. Ten people were injured after being struck by debris.
Photos from the scene show slings hanging from the crane hook, leading to initial reports that a rigging failure may have been to blame. However, Cranes Today understands that the unit may in fact have already been placed on the building and detached from the crane. There is no official statement yet on the accident's causes.
The New York Post stated that the crane is owned by Bay Crane and was being operated by Skylift Contractor Corp, according to Department of Building records. Bay Cranes did not immediately reply to a request from Cranes Today for a comment.
Buildings Department commissioner Rick Chandler said that all the necessary permits for the work involving the crane were "in place", and there had been no official complaints about the crane. "We think this device, in this preliminary stage, is in good state and we'll follow up with that," said Chandler.
Mayor Bill de Blasio said: "There's going to be a full investigation by Commissioner Chandler and the buildings department. The surrounding streets were immediately closed off."
