Worker Killed By Crane Counterweight Near Holland Tunnel
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — A worker was crushed to death Saturday when a crane counterweight fell on him at a lower Manhattan construction site, the third time in less than a week that a New York City construction worker was killed on the job.
Saturday's fatal accident happened at around 3:15 a.m. at a building site on Varick and Broome streets near the Holland Tunnel.
The counterweight fell on 34-year-old Gregory Echevarria as he and other workers were setting up the crane, authorities said. Echevarria was pronounced dead at the scene.
"It was loud. Very loud. I came out to see what happened because cars are going downtown. So I thought it fell on a car. I realized it wasn't a vehicle," parking attendant Koffi Bentum told CBS2's Marc Liverman.
Two other workers sustained minor injuries, police said.
The tragedy capped a deadly week for New York City's construction industry.
Nelson Salinas, 51, was killed by falling debris on Monday as he was working on facade repairs at an apartment building on Manhattan's East Side.
Erik Mendoza, 23, was working on the roof of a 13-story building in Brooklyn when he fell to his death on Wednesday.
"No building is worth a life," Buildings Department spokesman Andrew Rudansky said. "Every worker who leaves for the job site in the morning deserves to come home safely at night."
Rudansky said the department is investigating all three deaths and "will hold accountable anyone in the construction industry who endangers workers or the public."
Saturday's accident happened at a 25-story residential building under construction. The general contractor, Brooklyn-based KSK Construction Group, did not return an email seeking comment.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
