This is the the shaken construction worker who was operating a crane moments before it was engulfed in flames and collapsed in New York City.
The crane operator attempted to put out the fire but fled the cab once he realized the blaze was too large, according to co-workers who identified him to DailyMail.com on Wednesday morning.
He appeared shocked and shaken after the ordeal, and declined to comment when approached by a DailyMail.com reporter. Co-workers said he initially tried fighting the blaze, but evacuated when it grew too big. The worker used a ladder to climb down the crane, then fled using a stairwell of the construction site it was attached to.
On Wednesday morning, the crane he was inside caught fire, collapsed, and struck the side of another skyscraper before falling onto a rush-hour Manhattan street as terrified commuters ran for their lives.
Six people, including two firefighters, were injured after the building equipment suffered dramatic failure on 41st Street and 10th Avenue near Hudson Yards.
Another construction worker, Richard Paz, told DailyMail.com that a cable hauling wet concrete up to the top of the building site overheated just before the fire.
The crane operator noticed that the mechanics had stopped working, he said, because a computer system shut it down when the cable started burning out.
The crane operator (pictured) who attempted to put out the fire but fled the cab once he realized the blaze was too large, looked shocked and shaken after the ordeal
Pictured: The crane on fire. The fire heated up the cable of the crane, which was holding 16-tonnes of concrete, causing it to snap and trigger the collapse, FDNY deputy commissioner explained
It was at this point the worker realized there was an issue and got out of the cab.
Once it got to a point where he couldn’t extinguish the flames himself, he fled.
The blazing crane was attached to a luxury 47 story apartment building under construction at 550 10th Avenue, with the 16-tonnes of concrete it was carrying also smashed onto the street below.
It was seen striking the side of the 55-floor 555 10th Avenue apartment building opposite, although one eyewitness claims that tower was only struck with wet cement and was not seriously-damaged.
Terrifying video footage shot Wednesday morning showed the crane collapse and strike a glass residential skyscraper opposite – while people staying in nearby hotels and apartment blocks were quickly evacuated.
People covered in blood were stretchered into ambulances as screams rung out from construction workers and commuters on ground level, eyewitnesses said.
Over 200 firefighters rushed up to a nearby balcony and desperately battled the inferno – which blazed 500 feet above the Manhattan skyline this morning.
The crane is owned by New Jersey-based Lomma, whose late founder James Lomma was ordered to pay $96 million to two construction workers killed when another of his cranes collapsed in 2008.
A burning Manhattan construction crane is pictured collapsing and striking the side of a residential skyscraper on 10th Avenue, sending debris spraying onto the sidewalk below
The crane operator, identified to DailyMail.com by his colleagues, noticed that the mechanics had stopped working – because a computer system shut it down when the cable started burning out
Firefighters are seen spraying water on the crane in a bid to stop the fire
People were seen fleeing the scene as the fiery crane burned in the sky above them. The blazing crane was attached to a tower under construction
The FDNY posted an image of their firefighters tackling the blaze this morning
The dramatic fire this morning caused debris to spew all across the Manhattan street
He died in 2019 aged 73. DailyMail.com has contacted Lomma Corp. for a comment on Wednesday’s collapse.
Residents and workers in the area were seen running for their lives as the fiery crane blazed in the sky above them.
It is unclear what caused the blaze in the engine cabin area of the crane.
The dramatic incident sent debris spraying onto the streets – injuring multiple people below – while storefronts had their glass shattered.
The fire heated up the cable of the crane, which was holding 16-tonnes of concrete, causing it to snap and trigger the collapse, FDNY deputy commissioner explained.
Residents living with a view of the scene told DailyMail.com they heard screams from the construction workers at around 7.15am.
The crane controller was still inside the structure when the fire broke out and he escaped via the wooden plank below about five minutes later.
He tried to put out the fire, but was unable as the flames swelled.
The fire then took hold and the top half of the crane collapsed at around 7:30am.
It broke off and smashed into 555 Ten, an apartment building across the street, then hit the ground.
The resident told DailyMail.com: ‘We saw stretchers and ambulances so there are injuries on the ground. The stores under have also had all their windows broken.
‘We’ve now been evacuated from our building.’
It is unclear what caused the blaze in the cabin area of the crane
The debris is seen spewing on to the streets of Hudson Yards on Wednesday morning
Firefighters from the FDNY stand on a nearby balcony to spray the crane
The crane was seen ablaze from other parts of Manhattan
That collision appeared to shatter windows in the building, with debris then falling onto 10th Avenue, as terrified commuters screamed and ran from the collapse
Residents living with a view of the scene told DailyMail.com they heard screams from the construction workers at around 7.15am
An FDNY truck is seen on the streets of Hudson Yards as emergency services rushed to put the blaze out
A construction crane is pictured ablaze in Manhattan on Wednesday morning
The Fire Department New York confirmed in a statement: ‘FDNY units are currently operating at a crane collapse and fire at 550 Tenth Avenue in Manhattan.’
Eric Adams was at the scene of the destruction this morning.
NYC Mayor’s Office said in a statement: ‘FDNY units are currently operating at a crane collapse and fire at 550 Tenth Avenue in Manhattan.
‘Please avoid the area of 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue from West 41 Street to West 42 Street. Please use alternate routes and expect traffic in the area.’
Adams said in a conference from 10th Avenue: ‘As you can see from the debris on the street, this could have been much worse.’
He said the city were fortunate that this didn’t happen at a busier time of day.
First deputy fire commissioner Joseph Pfeifer said: ‘At 7.25am this morning, we got a report of a fire in the engine compartment of the crane.
‘We’re talking about the engine compartment above the roof line, about 45 stories up.
FDNY firefighters gather following the collapse of the crane
Rescue baskets are prepared by first responders at the site of a construction crane fire
First responders spray water on tall construction crane
Firefighters carry hoses as they deal with a construction crane fire and collapse in New York
‘As our fire units responded to the scene, it collapsed. The top part of the crane, the boom, and a 16-tonne load crashed to the ground.
‘At that point, we had injuries to civilians and firefighters but they were minor. We have four injuries to civilians, and two to our firefighters. Minor injuries.
‘Most of the fire has been extinguished, but presently we have a fifth-alarm fire assignment, over 200 firefighters at the scene.’
A construction worker described how he immediately evacuated his team from the deck and stairwell when he realized the fire broke out.
Irakli Klarje, who lives on the 39th floor of 5510 10th Street, said that he thought there was an earthquake when he first heard the noise on Wednesday.
‘The building shook, so I thought an earthquake was happening.
‘I thought, what the hell is going on.’
He said he saw the huge plumes of black smoke from the crane – and then he called 911.
People staying in hotels nearby also said they were evacuated because of the inferno.
Heidi Elmore wrote on Twitter: ‘Welcome to New York. Crane next to my hotel is on fire and collapsing so we had to evacuate.’
Another close-up image shows the crane ablaze and billowing black smoke into the clear morning sky. A spray of water being hosed onto the flames is visible on the left
Eric Adams was at the scene of the destruction this morning
A photo shot from uptown shows the crane ablaze with the skyscrapers of Hudson Yards behind it
Firefighters were seen at the scene – as tourists were rushed out of their hotels
People walk on with the destruction from the crane in the background
Pictured: Part of a building that was impacted by the crane’s collapse
Firefighters and investigators stand around the debris, which littered the Manhattan street
Videos shared by the FDNY showed firefighters on the balcony of a nearby building spraying the burning crane in a bid to put out the flames.
It’s understood that the I beam securing the crane structure was compromised and went up in flames.
The situation, which started just after 7am this morning, is a multiple-arm fire – indicating that the blaze is severe and is difficult to contain.
550 10th Avenue – the building that the crane was attached to – is a luxury rental tower consisting of 453 homes.
The 47-story tower is under construction, but will have over 20,000 sf of indoor and outdoor amenity space, as well as neighborhood retail on the ground floor.
The building is being designed by Handel architects.
And 555 10th Avenue, directly across the street, is the building that the crane crashed into.
It is a 56-story luxury apartment block with a pool on the rooftop – and has one of the city’s most exclusive observation deck experience at 650 feet over the new Midtown West.
No one was injured at 555 10th Avenue this morning, it was confirmed.
