Crane Topples in Manhattan, Killing at Least 4 People

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/15/nyreg ... crane.html

A large crane at a construction site on Manhattan’s East Side collapsed Saturday afternoon, killing at least four people, officials at the scene said.

Firefighters carried stretchers at the scene of the accident. People were feared trapped beneath the wreckage.

The big, white crane, which looked to be about 20 stories tall, appeared to have toppled across a street and crashed into other nearby buildings.

The accident happened at 303 East 51st Street, near Second Avenue about 2:20 p.m., the authorities said.

Aides to the Manhattan borough president, Scott Stringer, said they had been told by the Office of Emergency Management that the crane fell on two buildings, destroying one at 305 East 50th Street and partly collapsing 301 East 50th Street.

People were believed to be trapped in the rubble.

“This is an absolute disgrace,â€