Breaking: Fatal Midtown Construction Accident

We're hearing that a construction worker fell 40 floors to his death at a site on West 41st Street and 11th Avenue. Also, a part of a crane may have fallen. The Department of Buildings and OSHA are responding to the scene. Update: Per comments and new reports, a crane did not fall but it looks like scaffolding rigging fell. CityRoom says the site is owned by WTC developer Larry Silverstein. The incident occurred at his $700 million Silver Towers project, two 60-story towers at West 42nd Street.

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By Jen Chung in News on September 4, 2008 10:23 AM

Comments [rss]

rrguerin

I came across this website http://www.cranewatch.com

that has pics and info about NYC cranes and violations.

upsetfromlongisland

To the people that want to take pictures of the site and also commenting on whether the workers were legal or not. How dare you? This man has kids and a wife and was born here. Do you really think that it is appropriate to degrade a man in death? The man fell 48 and suffered...isn't that enough?!

Gothamist_Cynic

who wants to guess if these workers were illegal.

JacqueMehoff

60 story towers? what does the neighborhood get in return, a sliver of concrete benches?

Tgirl

"The incident occurred at his $700 million Silver Towers project, two 60-story towers at West 42nd Street."

yea, he was just doin' God's work when he died

EagleEyez

This happened right outside my window, before I left for work; I heard the screams as the man fell and by the time I got to my window he'd already hit the ground and was dead.

It took a few minutes, but the other construction workers eventually covered his body with a bright orange tarp. NYPD, FDNY, and EMS were on the scene shortly and constantly looking up to see the point from where he fell.

As I left for work I too looked up and saw a dangling platform, hanging off the side of the building; like one of those window washer platforms, hanging from just one side. Sadly, I had to get to the office and so didn't stick around but I do have some photos the scene.