Man Seriously Injured After Bricks Fall From Bronx Building During Storm
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The stormy weather is being partly blamed for an unusual accident that seriously injured a man in the Bronx.
As CBS2's Sonia Rincon reported, Luis Lopez and his brother Cesar knew the weather was bad as they watched the 11 p.m. news Wednesday night.
"We were watching the news; they were talking about the wind. We were watching the truck that overturned on the George Washington Bridge," said Cesar.
It was then that Luis decided they could use a couple of cold beers on the stormy night.
"When he went out to buy the beers and was coming back, the bricks fell on him from the building," said Cesar.
The fierce wind ripped several bricks from the edge of a fifth-floor window of their building on Shakespeare Avenue. At least one of the bricks landed on Luis' head.
Cesar took photos of the debris and a blanket used to help his brother.
The family in the fifth-floor apartment had no idea the falling bricks were so close. Munsura Shamima said she thought someone's air conditioner had fallen to the ground.
"Like a big sound, loud sound. And my husband [looked out] from the window and a body was lying there, so we called the cops," said Shamima.
The building's super, Nelson Ruiz, also heard the noise.
"I saw a man on the floor and my daughter called 911," he said.
Ruiz said Luis tried to stand up, but couldn't.
"And I put a blanket under his head," he added.
The city's Department of Buildings said a hazardous failure to maintain violation will be issued, along with an emergency declaration for a sidewalk shed in front of the building, Rincon reported.
The buildings department said the building had one other open violation, but that it wasn't for anything hazardous.
As for Luis, Cesar said he underwent surgery. Cesar said he's furious with the building's landlords.
"The owners do not fix anything. They don't like to make any repairs," said Cesar.
CBS2 reached out to the management company, which offered no comment on the accident or any plans to make repairs.
Meanwhile, Luis is recovering at Lincoln Hospital. His brother said he should be released in a few days.