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Grate Scott! Con Ed Says Truck Weakened Grate
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 12, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 12, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Could this be an instance where Con Ed isn't to blame? The utility says that a garbage truck may have compromised the sidewalk grate a young woman fell through earlier this year!
In May, a woman fell 10-12 feet through sidewalk grating outside 150 West 51st street. Luckily, Jessica Hinksmon only suffered minor injuries, narrowly avoiding being electrocuted by an electrical transformer. Con Ed says that a video shows a private sanitation truck driving on top of the sidewalk, on the grate, to pick up trash. Spokesman Michael Clendenin said, "We have determined it was subjected to, numerous times, a heavy truck parked on it. Apparently they were making their garbage runs...These grates are meant to withstand people, not trucks."
You can watch the video here. Hinksmon had no comment, but she did file a notice to potentially sue Con Ed and the city, "alleging they failed to inspect the grate properly or warn pedestrians of its danger." Con Ed is trying to figure out how to prevent a similar accident from happening in the future, and this is where the city needs to step in and have traffic cops monitoring commercial vehicle violations.
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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