NBC New York’s Tracie Strahan reports.
A crane on top of a Manhattan skyscraper partially collapsed after it broke out in flames, sending black smoke billowing into the air more than 40 stories above the ground, video showed.
The crane was on a building on Tenth Avenue between West 41st and 42nd streets in Hudson Yards, according to officials, just a few blocks from Times Square. The fire broke out shortly before 8 a.m. ET Wednesday. As part of the crane collapsed, some of it could be seen hitting a building across the street, sending debris flying.
Five people were hurt as a result of the fire and resulting partial collapse, fire department officials said, three of whom were taken to hospitals. A firefighter was among one of the injured, though it was not known if that individual was among those taken to the hospital. The extent of the injuries was not clear.
Fire crews were seen spraying the crane with water from above and below, hitting it from a building nearby. The flames appeared to be out before 9 a.m., leaving a charred cab about 47 stories in the air.
The building the crane is atop of is currently under construction. It was not immediately clear if anyone was in the building at the time of the crane fire, or if the building itself sustained any damage.
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The adjacent building that the falling crane struck did sustain visible damage, though the extent of the damage was not immediately known, nor if it led to any of the injuries.
FDNY and New York City emergency management units responded to the scene. Streets in the area were closed to traffic, and all buildings in the area were evacuated afterward.
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
