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Grate Collapses, Injures Brooklyn School Children

2009_05_gratecoll.jpg A grate over a window shaft collapsed, injuring over two dozen children at a Brooklyn yeshiva. According to NY1, "Fire officials say several students fell after a grate collapsed during a class photo shoot outside the Torah Elementary School in Kensington." Yikes! 1010WINS reports, "At least five students...were rushed to hospitals, two of them with serious injuries." Twenty-seven others were treated on the scene; the students were all girls, ages 10-12. The collapse is being investigated. Two years ago, a woman fell through sidewalk grating in Midtown; while that grate protected Con Ed equipment, it seems a private garbage truck may have compromised the grate's integrity by driving up on the sidewalk over it.

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  • r1b2

    Oy vey!

  • hotstepper

    do they have sugary drinks and snacks available at the school?

  • Dirk

    This is one reason why I never walk on those big grates. I hope those kids will be okay.

  • JacqueMehoff

    this is what happens when the city and the mayor neglects infrastructure and rewards developments.

    of course, he won't accept the blame as always.

  • nicemarmot

    Yeeesh...shudder...

    Seriously, whenever I have nightmares about living here, it's not some terrorist blowing shit up. It's me falling through one of those godforsaken sidewalk grates!

  • maevemealone

    Years ago I was watching some Sex and the City episode where one of the girls falls into an open sidewalk grate or storage thing. Every one of my friends gasped and said in unison that that was our worst fear walking the streets of NY. I think Carrie or whoever else was in the scene said the same thing in the next line. It's like being eaten by the sidewalk...

  • rasputinsghost



    RARGH! IMPORTANT! ANIMALS! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!

  • felixthecat2

    yes, I am glad you find humor in such a tragic accident. shame.

  • angry_pickle

    Of all places to stand, who directed them all the kids to stand on a grate!!??

  • As a kid, we used to do that all the time instead of standing on the sidewalk.

    This isn't the first time a grate by a school failed, but may be the biggest failure.

    Hope those kids are OK.

  • maevemealone

    Yeah but to pose for a class photo on a grate? I'd say that's sort of an odd choice, I'd think the playground or auditorium would be a better spot to group a whole bunch of kids.

  • NannyState

    You got that right. I did a touble take reading that. When I was a kid, my school had grates everywhere and we would have been smacked if we went onto one, which we did anyway to check out the weird shit that collected down below.

  • felixthecat2

    THANKS BLOOMBERG AND QUINN IF IT ISN'T THE SWINE FLU AFTER THE KIDS NOW THE OVERDEVELOPMENT. THANKS BLOOMBERG, CAN YOU TELL ME IN SPANISH WHAT AN ASSHOLE YOU AND QUINN ARE?

  • ¿Qué? ¿Estás bromeando?

  • felixthecat2

    Where are all the building inspectors? Bloomberg threw the former building commissioner under the bus but it was his and Quinn's fault.

  • Does the city even inspect those grates?

    Other than seeing people paint them, I've never noticed anyone checking them out.

  • felixthecat2

    I would think inspection by the city or a builder's certificate filed is needed to ensure public safety.

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