Lighting Strike May Have Weakened Collapsed NY Crane (+ video)

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=8&aid=82454

June 08, 2008

A lightning strike may have ultimately led to last month’s crane collapse on the Upper East Side, according to the New York Times.

Investigators are reportedly looking into whether the turntable used by the crane that came down on 91st Street was the same one hit by lightning last spring on 46th Street and Eighth Avenue.



That lightning strike reportedly caused a crack in the steel of the turntable, which was subsequently repaired. Now investigators want to know how the repairs were monitored.

The insurer for the crane said that the turntable was inspected and tested twice before it was put into use on the project.

But the Department of Buildings has not yet released details about the inspection.

The turntable has been the main focus of the investigation into the crane failure at 91st Street and First Avenue on May 30 that killed two workers.

Video at link or here: http://real.ny1.com:8080/ramgen/real4/00240EE8_080608_74441hi.rm