On a Tuesday afternoon in Manhattan, emergency services responded to a distress call following a boom truck malfunction at a construction site. The incident resulted in five people getting injured, authorities disclosed.
Key Takeaways:
– Five people were injured due to a malfunctioning boom truck at a construction site in Manhattan.
– Initial reports indicated that a crane had collapsed.
– The most severely injured workers suffered a broken femur.
– Last month, another worker was injured at the same site.
Machinery Malfunction Triggers Emergency Response
Around 2:25 p.m., police and FDNY were summoned to the construction plot located at the junction of W. 207th St. and Ninth Ave. in Inwood. The initial call indicated a crane collapse scenario. However, upon arrival, first responders found that the machinery causing the accident was a built-in crane lodged on a boom truck, according to FDNY’s statement.
Men at work were using the said boom truck to transport rebar, disclosed a construction worker from a lot across the street. “It snapped, crashed down with a bang,” Paul Tyson informed the Daily News. Tyson vividly described how one of the laborers was buried and had to be recovered. “They pulled him out from the debris, and it appeared he had fractured his leg,” he added.
Medical Aid and Injuries
Emergency medical responders rushed three construction workers to a nearby hospital while treating two others on-site. All five injured workers are anticipated to make a recovery. The most severely injured in the event has suffered a broken femur, disclosed a law enforcement source.
Tyson observed and wondered about the cause of the incident. “The first suspicion is overloading. Once it reached that altitude with that weight, the boom just came apart,” he opined.
Previous Incidents and Building Project
Demolition permits tied to the involved address were first filed in May 2022, as per Department of Buildings records. Tyson’s concern about safety practices in place is not entirely unwarranted. The same construction site was the scene of another injury just a month ago. An enforcement agent investigating the incident found that the general contractor had failed to provide necessary information to the workers.
The location is set to become a 30-story housing project catering to affordable and middle-income households in Manhattan. The development is scheduled for completion in June, as previously reported.
Tuesday’s mishap expedited the need for a comprehensive safety investigation at this site. The sequence of events further underlined the significance of impeccable safety measures and clear communication in construction sites, which are often riddled with heavy machinery and perilous tasks. The injured workers’ recovery progress will be closely monitored as investigations continue to unfold.
Source: New York Daily News