Yesterday, a judge ordered the Bloomberg administration to compensate the families of two workers killed in 2008's Upper East Side crane collapse $5,000. The families of workers Donald C. Leo and Ramadan Kurtaj filed a lawsuit against the crane company and the Buildings Department, accusing them of negligence and corruption in the building project, but the city repeatedly ignored requests and court orders for documents and information regarding the safety of the equipment used on the collapse site. Mr Kurtaj's family lawyer, Susan Karten, told the Times, "It behooves the mayor to ask the city’s lawyers to stop this kind of obfuscation and to turn over crucial documents in this case." more ›

A year ago yesterday, a crane collapsed at an Upper East Side construction site at 91st Street and First Avenue. Two people were killed and it turned out the crane had been damaged from a 2007 lightning strike (the New York Crane Company had it fixed with welding). Now the Daily News reports that the Chinese company that did the welding wasn't confident of its abilities "but relented after New York Crane coughed up more money." RTR Bearings told New York Crane its welding technique "is not good" and a testing firm found (a month before the crane collapse) that RTR's work on another piece of New York Crane equipment was "unacceptable." The News also found memos showing an Ohio firm saying it could weld the crane in 28 weeks for $120,000, while "RTR said it could do the work in 80 to 90 days for just $21,710." RTR ultimately "repaired" the crane and New York Crane apparently didn't re-inspect it, simply put it to work at the UES site. more ›

The city comptroller's office says there are "more than half a billion dollars in lawsuits" stemming from the fatal crane collapses earlier this year. The families of two constructions workers who died have filed notices of claim for the May 30 collapse on East 91st Street; Ramadan Kurtag's family plans to sue for $75 million while Donald Leo's family's claim is for $20 million. The Daily News reports there are also "several smaller claims ranging from $2,700 to $12,000" from residents and a "$300,000 one by a nearby Duane Reade...for damages and loss of business." As for the March 15 crane collapse on East 51st Street, those notices of claim total $497 million. more ›

Today was going to Janine Belcastro and Donald Leo's wedding day. But Leo, a crane operator, died in last month's crane collapse on the Upper East Side. The Daily News says Belcastro's sister and friend have taken her on a trip this weekend. A friend said, "She's still too upset. It's still too much for her." more ›

The Department of Buildings confirmed to the Daily News that it found cracks in a crane at a construction site in lower Manhattan. The crane happens to be a Kodiak tower crane owned by New York Crane & Equipment Co.--the same model and firm involved last month's fatal crane collapse at East 91st Street and First Avenue. more ›

An insurance company executive, whose client owned the crane had once been repaired before collapsing on East 91st Street last Friday, said the Department of Buildings knew the crane's history. NationalBuilders Insurance Services executive vice president Kevin Cunningham said, "The DOB inspector certified that it was OK to go back to work." more ›

The offices of New York Crane and Equipment, which owns the cranes in last Friday's as well as March's fatal crane collapses, were searched and documents were seized, according the NY Times. Currently, there are investigations from the Manhattan DA's office, the Department of Investigation, and OSHA into the collapse. more ›

The Building Department allowed "most" crane operations across the city to resume as the investigation into what caused Friday's fatal crane collapse at East 91st Street continues. more ›

The NY Times reports that the Manhattan District Attorney's office has opened up a criminal investigation into Friday's construction crane collapse on East 91st Street that left two dead. Apparently, it's possible that the crane, manufactured by Kodiak, could be the same one, as the Daily News reported yesterday, that "cracked at a project on W.46th St. and was welded before it was sent to the doomed building at 333 E. 91st St." more ›

Yesterday, at a luxury condominium construction site, a crane collapsed at East 91st Street and First Avenue, damaging a building across the street and killing two workers. Though this was the second crane collapse in two months, city officials do not believe the circumstances were similar to th March 15 incident where a condominium construction crane collapsed into buildings, killing seven people. In fact, the DOB believes a weld in the crane is what failed. more ›

A crane collapsed at 1st Avenue and 91st Street on the Upper East Side around 8:15 a.m. According to initial reports, there are people trapped inside. There is wreckage on 91st Street, with FDNY and other emergency responder going through the rubble. The crane was located at a new construction site. more ›