OAN’s Roy Francis
6:46 AM – Wednesday, July 26, 2023
A construction crane on a high-rise caught fire and partially collapsed in New York City on Wednesday morning.
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The crane, which is on a building under construction on 10th Avenue and West 41st Street, caught fire around 7:30 A.M. ET. The crane then proceeded to collapse, causing pedestrians on the street below to scramble in order to avoid the falling debris.
Authorities say that two people, a firefighter and a civilian, suffered minor injuries. They have also evacuated nearby buildings in case of additional collapses, and they have warned the public to avoid the area for the time being.
“Due to a crane collapse, please avoid the area of 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue from West 41 Street to West 42 Street,” the New York Police Department said.
Firefighters are also reportedly “actively working to put the fire out” which has since grown into a five-alarm blaze. The Con Edison energy company, which has a gas main line running below the scene of the collapse, is also present and ready to cut off gas to the area if needed.
The FDNY said that the crane was attached to an apartment building that is under construction, and the cause of the fire is not immediately clear and is currently being investigated.
This is a developing story.
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