Honoring crane victims 10 yrs. later

FAMILIES AND friends of six construction workers who died in a crane collapse 10 years ago gathered Thursday to mark the anniversary of the accident.

“We are here today not for how our brothers died, but more importantly how our brothers lived and how our brothers loved,” said the Rev. Brian Jordan as he stood near the scene of the tragedy on E. 51st St in Midtown.

The six men — Wayne Bleidner, Anthony Mazza, Santy Gallone, Brad Cohen, Clifford Canzona and Aaron Stephens — and a tourist, Odin Torres, were killed when a massive crane tipped over.

A six-ton steel collar used to tie the crane to the side of a building fell as it was being installed.

Then a support strap broke, causing the crane to topple down on to a brownstone, injuring 24 people.

During the solemn ceremony, Jordan read the names of the workers who lost their lives that day and observed a moment of silence.

Master rigger William Rapetti was acquitted of manslaughter in the case in 2010. A former city crane inspector was convicted in 2012 of falsely saying he examined the ill-fated machinery.

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