A crane in the upscale Hudson Yards neighborhood of New York City caught fire and collapsed on a midtown Manhattan street on Wednesday morning, resulting in a minor injury to one person.
The incident took place at approximately 7:30 a.m., as reported by The New York Times. For safety reasons, traffic in the vicinity of 10th and 11th Avenues between 41st and 42nd Streets near Hudson Yards was shut down.
Eyewitness footage captured the frantic evacuation of workers and residents from the area as the flaming crane crashed into a glass residential skyscraper before tumbling onto the street below.
The New York City Fire Department responded quickly, engaging in a battle against the fire, which was approximately 500 feet above street level, as stated in a report by The Daily Mail. Videos shared online depicted water being directed at the crane from nearby rooftops.
To ensure the safety of tourists, nearby hotels were rapidly evacuated to prevent any potential injuries.
Bystanders posted videos on Twitter, showing the crane colliding with an adjacent building on 10th Avenue in the Hudson Yards vicinity.
In one video shared by NYC Council Finance Committee Chairman Justin Brannan, a thick plume of black smoke can be seen billowing from the crane just before it topples and strikes a building across the street.
Amidst the chaos, a bystander questioned whether there was someone hanging beneath the fiery crane.
According to USA Today, the incident caused pandemonium, with pedestrians scrambling to find safety.
Former FDNY Commissioner Thomas Von Essen shed light on the difficulties encountered by the fire department during the operation. He highlighted the significant challenge of ensuring an adequate water supply for extinguishing the crane fire, underscoring the complexities involved in managing such emergencies in a densely populated urban environment.
“Welcome to New York,” quipped touris Heidi Elmore in a Wednesday morning Twitter post. “Crane next to my hotel is on fire and collapsing so we had to evacuate.”
The crane fire and collapse will have a profound effect on commuters, particularly due to its location on the West Side, close to an entrance of the Lincoln Tunnel. This tunnel serves as a crucial route for auto traffic between New Jersey and New York City, crossing under the Hudson River.
Additionally, the proximity of the incident to the Port Authority Bus Terminal, a major hub for buses traveling along the East Coast, further exacerbates the impact on transportation in the area.
