NEW YORK – A construction crane in Manhattan caught fire and lost its long arm, which crashed to the street below, causing panic among pedestrians. The incident occurred on the West Side of Manhattan, and fortunately, four people suffered only minor injuries, with no fatalities reported. The fire broke out around 7:25 a.m., with photos and videos showing flames bursting from the crane’s engine compartment hundreds of feet above 10th Avenue at 41st Street. The crane’s arm, carrying a 16-ton load of concrete, snapped off after the fire had been burning for some time.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams commended that the situation could have been much worse given the crowded street at that hour with pedestrians, cars, and buses. Joseph Pfeifer, first deputy commissioner for the Fire Department of New York, explained that the 16-ton load was attached by a cable that weakened as the fire heated it, leading to the collapse. The crane operator tried to put out the fire but eventually had to flee to safety.
Firefighters promptly responded to the scene and shot water at the blaze, with two of them sustaining minor injuries. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire and will examine the structural integrity of the building under construction. The incident occurred near the Port Authority Bus Terminal and the Lincoln Tunnel’s entrance, leading to the closure of surrounding streets to traffic during the morning. Delicia McInnis, a witness to the crane collapse, expressed surprise that no serious injuries occurred, given the busy nature of the area at that time.