Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Falling Air Conditioner Hits Man Outside East Village Wine Bar
By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 28, 2010
Modified Sep 28, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Sep 28, 2010
Modified Sep 28, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Of all the people a falling air conditioner could have hit in the uber-trendy East Village, why did it have to be an elderly Vietnam veteran who's being evicted from his apartment? Probably because it was 8:30 a.m., not 8:30 p.m. Not that we want anybody to get hit by falling air conditioners, but you'd think—statistically speaking—an A.C. unit falling onto Wine Bar on Second Avenue would be more likely to land on someone a bit more scummy yuppie than Anthony Franzese, 67. But the timing was just all wrong.
The air conditioner fell from a sixth floor window, bouncing off of Wine Bar's awning and a sidewalk café chair before slamming into Franzese, the Post reports. According to CBS2, he suffered a severe head laceration and was taken to Bellevue Hospital. Neighbor Carmen Barreto, who's been in the building for 38 years, says her son helped clean blood off Franzese. "He said ‘Ma, the air conditioner fall down onto the head’ and I said ‘My God he must be dead'," she explained. And resident Rachel Costa says, "He sits here with the dog. He has a little glass of wine. He’s friends with the owner of the place here, and he’s a very nice man."
Later this morning, police visited the apartment from whence the A.C. fell. Guilty tenant Bruce Fuller, 49, tells the Post, "I don't know how it fell. But I feel very guilty. He is a nice man, and gave me his spare key. I am going to make sure the dog is taken care of when he's in the hospital." But the Post also reports that Franzese, a Vietnam veteran, was recently evicted from his apartment on the third floor and is supposed to be out by this Thursday. So just consider this your daily reminder that life isn't fair, and you should prop you air conditioner properly.
Tagged
AC
air conditioning
awning
east village
wine bar
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYPD searching for suspect after fatal stabbing in Queens
Officers responding to a call at the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and 173rd Street around 1 a.m. found 29-year-old Sulimon Ferrier, who had multiple stab wounds to his chest, police said.
By
Ben Feuerherd
Published Oct 3, 2026 at 4:38 p.m. ET
NYPD: 2 suspects in off-duty officer stabbing tried to rob victim
It’s unclear if the attackers knew the victim was NYPD.
By
Jill Webb
News
NYPD: 2 suspects in off-duty officer stabbing tried to rob victim
It’s unclear if the attackers knew the victim was NYPD.
By
Jill Webb
Astoria-born Chip City announces sudden closure days after former CEO sues
By
Catalina Gonella
US judge tosses Trump lawsuit targeting pro-Palestinian protesters in NJ
By
Willow Higgins
A big, bright Saturn will be the highlight of NYC's fall stargazing season
By
Rosemary Misdary
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .