The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), Department of Buildings, and the NYPD are investigating the circumstances surrounding the collapse of a crane in Manhattan that killed one construction worker and seriously injured another. According to ABC News, a crane collapsed in a pit on the West Side where the No. 7 subway line is being extended behind Times Square. Allegedly, the crane’s boom gave way and crashed onto the construction site, killing 30-year-old Michael Simermeyer and injuring four others, one seriously.
The crane was lifting rebar on Tuesday night when the boom broke into two pieces, one 80 feet long and one 40 feet long. The crane was on the second of three levels when the accident occurred. Remaining construction workers around the accident scene were rescued but the undertaking was described by the fire department as “extremely dangerous” given the unstable nature of the construction site and materials after the crash. Michael Simermeyer was from Burlington, N.J. and employed by subcontractor J & E Industries, but the crane was owned and operated by Yonkers Contracting Co.
It is reported that the crane that collapsed was supposed to have undergone a full city inspection in January, but it only underwent a partial check because it was currently being used. City inspection officials were scheduled to return to the site for a follow-up inspection just two days after the accident occurred. The city has announced that it is currently inspecting cranes at all New York City locations to make sure they are safe. This accident is the third fatal crane accident in the city in four years.
Construction sites are inherently dangerous, with dangerous machinery, materials, and jobs being performed regularly. Construction accidents are often serious and can be debilitating to workers and bystanders alike. If you or a loved one is injured in a construction site accident, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit to try to recover your losses. Contact a dedicated New York construction accident attorney to see if you might be entitled to seek legal recourse and possibly receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.