RUBBLE TROUBLE
Plunge damage worse on 2nd look
THE MONSTER air conditioner that slipped from a crane and tumbled down the side of a Midtown tower before crashing to the street did more than just ding the building’s facade.
First photos from inside 261 Madison Ave. revealed Monday the massive damage it did to the 11th and 29th floors as the 23,000-pound device bounced down the building.
Both of those floors looked like they were hit by a bomb, and city officials once again expressed relief that nobody was killed in Sunday’s accident.
“I think the city dodged a bullet,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro. “You see the after-effects of the way this fell, and the injuries were all minor. When something drops from that height in our crowded city and we suffer no serious injuries, it certainly is a good outcome.”
Mayor de Blasio agreed, noting that in general the city has a good crane safety record. “This was quite aberrant,” he said.
Lesroy Byrde, who works for Pacific Drywall and Construction, surveyed the mangled offices and also marveled that the damage wasn’t worse.
“The unit they were hoisting was really, extremely heavy,” he said. “It was a massive piece of machinery going to the 29th floor.”
When it fell, “it caused a few steel beams to come loose,” said Byrde. “The damage was caused by the debris flying. We’re talking about steel, so you could imagine.”
The huge unit also damaged a 12-inch water main in front of the building when it landed, city officials said.
Investigators say the crane was in good working order and are now trying to determine whether an error by an operator for Skylift Contractor — or a mechanical malfunction — was to blame for the accident, which left 10 people with minor injuries.
Meanwhile, the 30-story building is closed until the repairs are made and the city says it is safe for occupants to go back inside, said Byrde.
“They could be done in a couple weeks,” he said. “I’m sure there are more (damaged floors).”
Cars and delivery trucks that were barred from Madison Ave. between 34th and 39th Sts. on Monday will most likely be allowed back Tuesday, city officials said.
The accident happened around 10:45 a.m. Sunday as workers were loading the massive machine — about the size of a shipping container — into a mechanical room.
Witnesses said it bounced off the building at least three times before it hit the pavement with so much force it sounded like an explosion.
Skylift Contractor had a permit to operate the 375-foot crane at the site and the building had no open violations relating to safety on file with the city.