WATCH | Burning Crane Collapses in New York City from High-Rise Building; 2 Injured – News18

A burning crane collapsed and crashed to the ground in New York City on Wednesday in the Hell’s Kitchen area injuring two people. Dramatic video footage captured the crane collapsing and smoke billowing into the sky.

People speaking to news outlet The Mirror said it sounded like an “explosion”. A building nearby caught fire and firefighters rushed to the spot to contain the fire.

The video showed that the crane struck a building across the street as it collapsed. A hotel nearby was also evacuated, the Mirror said in its report.

A stage four alarm fire alert was activated by the New York Fire Department. This means that the fire is serious to the point that it can be “catastrophic if not handled correctly”. “FDNY units are currently operating at a crane collapse and fire at 550 Tenth Avenue in Manhattan,” the New York Fire Department said.

Unverified reports said that part of the crane fell onto vehicles below and possibly on a taxi and a police car. News18 was unable to verify the authenticity of the video.

The crane was located on 41st and 10th Avenue in the Hudson Yards construction site in Manhattan which falls near Hell’s Kitchen. A New York Police Department (NYPD)NYPD helicopter was seen flying overhead to assess the scene and the 10th avenue has been shut down until further notice. People have been advised by the NYPD to keep clear of the area.

“Due to a crane collapse, please avoid the area of 10th Avenue and 11th Avenue from West 41 Street to West 42 Street. Please use alternate routes and expect traffic in the area,” the NYPD said.