Overview
- The Department of Buildings concluded a disconnected hydraulic hose sprayed fuel onto a hot surface on the crane deck, igniting a fire that led to the July 2023 partial collapse in Hell’s Kitchen.
- The city now requires diesel-powered tower cranes to have built-in fire detection and automatic suppression, along with stronger leak inspections and tighter operator qualifications.
- Investigators found manufacturer recommendations issued after 2012 and 2016 Australian incidents were not implemented on the New York crane.
- The crane was owned by New York Crane and Equipment and leased to Cross Country Construction, with violations issued to Cross Country and general contractor Monadnock.
- The agency is seeking a $25,000 penalty from the crane operator, and it previously created a new license class requiring more than 3,000 hours of experience for operators of smaller hoisting machines.