Crane Operator | Manhattan | Building Department of Manhattan | Tony Sclafani | Crane Operator Christopher Cosban | OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald | Skylift Master Riggers | Long Island City | Buildings Department Spokesman
The city Buildings Department on Sunday yanked the license of the operator of a 25-story monster crane that collapsed in Manhattan's Financial District.
Crane operator Christopher Cosban "failed to leave the crane in the safest position possible at the end of the work day," contributing to its Saturday night collapse, Buildings Department spokesman Tony Sclafani said.
Cosban failed to lower the hydraulically operated boom of the mobile crane as low as he should have, creating a serious hazard, sources familiar with the probe said.
The giant boom toppled into the 23rd floor 80 Maiden Lane - home of the city Department of Investigation - at 7:10 p.m. Saturday after workers had gone home.
A chunk of the building's facade was knocked to the sidewalk, but miraculously no one was injured.
Residents of five neighboring buildings evacuated after the accident were allowed back home at 8:45 a.m. Sunday, after the damage was determined to be minor and the building deemed structurally sound, Sclafani said.
Investigators hauled the 360,000-pound crane onto a truck and removed it for investigation.
During the day Saturday, the 250-foot crane was hoisting air conditioning equipment to the top of the building, but it was not in operation when it crashed.
Cosban's negligence contributed to the mishap but may not have been the only cause, Sclafani said. Buildings Department investigators also were probing possible mechanical failure.
The crash also is under investigation by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
"We are looking at its mechanical operation, how it was set up and how it was operated," OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald said.
The crane is owned by Bay Crane Services of Long Island City, Queens, and was leased by Skylift Master Riggers of Orient, L.I.
The disaster forced Julia Tourigny, a doctor visiting from Montreal, to spend the night at her friend's nearby law office instead of his apartment in 100 Maiden Lane.
Full News:http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/03/28/2010-03-28_operator_of_crane_that_collapsed_in_manhattan_has_license_taken_away_by_city_bui.html#ixzz0jY00irvb
Tags: Crane Operator, Manhattan, Building Department of Manhattan, Tony Sclafani, Crane Operator Christopher Cosban, OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald, Skylift Master Riggers, Long Island City, Buildings Department Spokesman
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