Massive Manhattan 2023 crane collapse caused by fuel hose failure: report
The New York City Department of Buildings has concluded a two-year investigation into the catastrophic 2023 crane collapse in Manhattan that injured 12 people, including three firefighters, and found that a disconnected hydraulic fuel hose was to blame for the massive building collapse.
The disconnected hydraulic fluid hose, instead of being securely attached to the crane’s engine compartment, spewed an flammable mist of hydraulic fuel oil that ignited a fire raging at nearly 1,700 degrees after coming into contact with the crane’s hot deck. The crane operator tried in vain to put out the fire with a fire extinguisher before fleeing to safety. The fire burned the sturdy lifting cable that held the crane’s boom, causing it to collapse, officials said.
The construction crane for the 550 10th Avenue construction project was lifting 14,000 pounds of concrete 500 feet above Hudson Yards on July 26, 2023, around 7:25 a.m., when the fire broke out and the crane’s 165-foot-long boom crashed into the street.
Nine civilians and three firefighters were injured in the collapse. It took five hours to fully control the fire, according to the FDNY.
“This crane collapse in the heart of Midtown Manhattan was truly a singular nightmare scenario for the construction industry, and it is a miracle that no one was seriously injured,” said DOB Commissioner James Oddo.
After this shocking accident, the DOB committed multiple violations against the project’s general contractor, Monadnock Construction Incorporate, and the user of the crane equipment, Cross Country Construction LLC, for their failure to protect the construction site, their failure to maintain adequate housekeeping, and their failure to implement adequate safety measures. Cross Country Construction LLC was also cited for violations for inadequate safety measures.
DOB said safety regulations required for crane maintenance were not followed.
As a result of the investigation, the DOB imposed new fire safety requirements for diesel tower cranes, which were implemented throughout the city. Diesel-powered tower cranes must now be equipped with recommended fire suppression and detection systems, new registration requirements and experience qualifications are required for elevator directors, and a construction professional must be on site in a supervisory role whenever the crane is moved, raised, lowered, taken out of service or used for lifting operations, officials said.
“The findings of the investigation have already led to improved crane safety protocols to better protect operators and the public,” said Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber. “Fortunately, no one was seriously injured in the fire and collapse, but these events highlight the importance of following rigorous safety protocols. DOI will continue to work in partnership with DOB to improve construction safety in New York.”
At the time of the collapse, a source told the Daily News that the preliminary cause of the construction fire and crane collapse was hydraulic fluid leaking from the engine compartment onto a heated metal plate, starting the fire on the deck atop the building under construction.
The five-alarm fire brought 50 FDNY units and 220 firefighters to the chaotic scene, with firefighters deploying drones to ensure the towering blaze was completely extinguished.
Firefighters evacuated nearby buildings, including at least one hotel, and closed streets to car and pedestrian traffic as they battled the blaze.
A construction worker who witnessed the fire break out on the 44th floor of 550 10th Ave. saw the crane operator frantically trying to put out the fire.
“I was on the bridge when he started smoking,” Marco Araujo told The News after the incident. “He tried to put it out. But he had a small fire extinguisher and it didn’t work.
“It didn’t work because the flames were too fast,” added Araujo, a 44-year-old carpenter who was laying concrete at the time. “It was crazy.”
