Three Remain Missing After Manhattan Crane Collapse
Three people -- two construction workers and a female resident of one of the damaged buildings -- remained missing as of Sunday afternoon following a construction crane's collapse 24 hours earlier at 51st Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan. Four construction workers are confirmed dead in what Mayor Michael Bloomberg and other city officials said was among the city's worst construction accidents.
A retired contractor complained to city building officials days before the collapse that he believed the crane was not properly braced, but an inspector visited and said it met regulations, the New York Daily News reported Sunday. The retired contractor complained that the crane was anchored to the building under construction in only two places, which he considered inadequate, according to the newspaper.
"This construction accident is one of the worst the city has had, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families," the mayor said Saturday. The crane came apart in the collapse, with its bottom section striking a 19-story residential building The top section fell onto a four-story townhouse and destroyed it.