The city suspended the occupational license of a crane operator this week, in response to a New York City crane accident that sent a 250-foot-high crane crashing into a 25-story building in Lower Manhattan over the weekend, the New York Times reported.
Officials contend that the operator failed to properly secure the crane before leaving the construction site for the day. The operator had held the city's top-level operator's license since 2002.
Investigators found the operator did not lower the boom as far as it could go, which contributed to the accident. Investigators are also looking into whether mechanical failure might have been a contributing factor and additional citations are possible.
The crane's boom slowly listed about 7 p.m. Saturday, before crashing into a building at 80 Maiden Lane. Five nearby buildings were evacuated.
The accident comes two years after a pair of crane accidents that killed nine people in March and May of 2008. Last week, the city's former top crane inspector admitted taking bribes to falsify crane licensing and inspections, the Times reported.
Ironically, the building struck by the crane houses the City Department of Investigation, which immediately joined in the investigation.
The city has tightened safety and training regulations for crane operators, which it attributes to the reduction in fatal New York City crane accidents. Three people were killed in city crane accidents last year, compared to 19 in 2008.
The city received a complaint on March 8 about an unsafe and unlicensed crane operating at the address of Saturday's accident. But an inspection conducted the next day found no crane at that location and no citations were issued, according to city records.
If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a crane accident, the New York construction accident attorneys at Queller, Fisher, Washor, Fuchs & Kool offer free and confidential appoints to discuss your rights. Call 866-LifeLaw (866-543-3529).
