A construction crane caught fire and then partially collapsed onto a neighboring building Wednesday morning.
According to the New York Post, the crane was carrying 16 tons of concrete on a vacant building that was under construction at 550 10th Ave. between W. 41st and W. 42nd streets.
The NYPD told the New York Post the cabin of the crane caught fire around 7:30 a.m. Engulfed in flames, the crane’s top section collapsed and struck the neighboring building before plummeting onto the busy sidewalk.
People were seen fleeing the area as the fire continued to burn the remaining part of the crane. Sirens were then heard nearing the area.
Six people were confirmed injured, including two firefighters.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams gave an update in midtown and posted it to Twitter. He said, “Thank God that the injuries to four individuals were minor.”
He also noted city agencies are working together to “fully extinguish the fire,” ensure the safety of those in the surrounding buildings, and dismantle the crane.
Adams then noted the destruction, “As you see from the debris on the street, this could have been much worse.”
He confirmed the information being circulated and also tweeted, “A full investigation into how this happened is underway.”
The New York City Fire Department issued a tweet, asking everyone to use caution in the area.
Adams sent out a tweet stating, “One thing is clear: thanks to the rapid response and quick thinking of our firefighters and first responders, we were able to evacuate buildings and bring the fire that broke out on the crane under control.”
He added, “Lives were saved and our streets are protected thanks to them.”