A carpenter is lucky to be alive after a construction crane caught on fire and partially collapsed in Hell's Kitchen.
He is a carpenter and was working inside the building yesterday with dozens of construction workers.
"I was on the top level. We were getting ready for the pour. They were pouring concrete," Mohamed said. Suddenly, at about 7:30 in the morning, the crane’s engine compartment caught fire 45 stories above 10th Avenue and 41st Street. "I have seen everyone running down the stairs and I went to go look at the edge of the building and saw the crane was on fire.""I was running down the stairs and when I got to maybe the 30th floor or the 35th floor I heard a real big bang."RelatedAt least 12 people were injured when the arm of the crane fell 45 stories to the New York City street below.
The crane operator emptied 2 fire extinguishers trying to put out the fire, but the flames were overpowering, and he had to escape. "I’m just grateful to be alive and grateful there were no casualties."Records show that New York Crane and Equipment Corporation, which owns the crane, was involved in 2 fatal collapses in 2008.
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