A scene straight out of a Hollywood thriller unfolded in NYC, as a crane not only caught fire, but collapsed and crashed into a neighboring building ... sending people below running for cover.
A crane near 10th Ave & 41st St is on fire. I just witnessed a portion of the structure break off and fall to the ground. Emergency responders are now blocking roadways nearby to assist with the situation. #Manhattan #nyc pic.twitter.com/XJnctxImx7
— Jade Nash (@jadenashtv) July 26, 2023
The crane was operating on a vacant building near Hudson Yards when it caught fire. Emergency crews responded almost immediately but were essentially helpless as it burned hundreds of feet in the air.
Eventually, the flames got to be too much, and the crane snapped ... striking a neighboring building and falling to the ground.
.@NYCMayor is on scene and being briefed on the crane collapse this morning in Hell’s Kitchen.
— City of New York (@nycgov) July 26, 2023
He’ll be holding a media briefing shortly that will be streamed on @NYPDnews. pic.twitter.com/sjeinuShEP
You can see people scrambling for safety on the ground, and reports say 4 civilians and one firefighter were injured from the debris. Thankfully, their injuries were non-life-threatening.