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Dramatic footage shows the moment the structure collapsed on 29th Street near Eighth Avenue in Chelsea, injuring pedestrians, including one who suffered a serious head injury.
The video also shows good Samaritans coming to the aid of the victims, just before another section collapses. They run away in the blink of an eye.
The FDNY called for an “all hands” response.
Helicopter 2 was over the scene shortly before 8:30 a.m. and saw numerous emergency services and debris from the collapse.
“Upon response, units discovered a 40-foot section of the shed had collapsed,” said FDNY Deputy Chief Michael Barvels.
“We used the full force, which is approximately 12 units and 60 firefighters and EMS personnel.”
The driver of the delivery truck may have clipped the shed on the pavement as it backed away from the curb ahead, causing it to collapse, according to investigators.
“It is currently believed that a box truck parked at the site struck the shed on the pavement, causing the collapse,” Barvels said.
The driver of the truck told CBS News New York that he stayed to help and that his truck did not have a scratch on it.
While it’s possible the top of the truck hit the shed on the sidewalk, he said he didn’t feel anything in the cab.
The cause of the collapse is still under investigation.
Three injured people were taken to Bellevue Hospital. One was in critical condition and two suffered serious injuries but are expected to survive.
Guests at the hotel across the street were shocked by what they saw, saying the crash woke them up.
“It was a pretty loud noise, a big impact,” said Ditmar Dalhoff.
The Department of Buildings ordered immediate repairs to the shed, and that process began several hours after the accident. The owner of the building was issued a violation.
NYC Considers New Sidewalk Shed Law. New York City Council member Erik Bottcher is sponsoring a bill that could mean fewer sidewalk sheds in the five boroughs at any given time.
“A bill I’m co-sponsoring that would set a time limit on how long the scaffolding has to be up,” Bottcher said.
“I don’t know how long these scaffoldings have been up, but some of them have been up for a very long time. When you ask New Yorkers what drives them crazy about New York, one of the things they talk about is the miles and miles of sheds on the sidewalks in every neighborhood, it’s not necessary and we’re going to to reform it.”
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