Construction Crane Collapses In Manhattan, One Person Killed

A construction crane collapsed and fell over a busy street in lower Manhattan on Friday morning, killing one person and injuring three others.

Construction Crane Crashes In Manhattan, One Person Dead

A 38-year-old man was killed and three others injured when a construction crane fell over and smashed onto a street in Tribeca officials said.

The crane reportedly crashed into a row of parked cars when it toppled onto Worth St. near Church St. at about 8:30 a.m.

The person who died was sitting in a car, Mayor Bill de Blasio said. The others were hit by falling debris.

According to first responders, a 45-year-old woman and a 73-year-old man were injured and taken to Bellevue hospital in stable condition.

The woman reportedly suffered a leg trauma and the man had a laceration to the head.

A third person was taken to New York Presbyterian Hospital in serious condition.

Mayor de Blasio assessed the damage at the scene, setting up a makeshift press office inside the headquarters of the Detectives’ Endowment Association on Worth St.

The accident occurred as workers tried to move the heavy crane into a secure position because winds topped 20 mph, Blasio noted.

The crane operator, identified by sources as Kevin Reilly, 56, was cooperating with officials investigating the cause of the crash.

“The crew was directing people away from Worth St. as the crane was being lowered,” the mayor added. “So, just before the accident happened, the crew was making sure people weren’t in the way.”

Officials closed a number of streets in the area and Mayor de Blasio said the street closures would likely last several days.

“This is a very sad incident, we lost a life. But if you go out into the street as I did and see what happened here, thank God it was not worse,” Blasio remarked.