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Midtown Cleaning Gondola Accident
By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 3, 2004
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Sep 3, 2004
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Gothamist was walking around midtown when we noticed firetrucks pulling into West 56th Street, between Broadway and 7th Avenue. It turns out that a cleaning gondola (the contraption building exterior cleaning crews use to scale the walls) had crashed into the scaffolding around a building at the corner of West 56th and Broadway; we think a worker was killed Firefighters were working to clear some of the debris from the scaffolding, and residents of the Carnegie Mews watched from their apartments.
A number of reporters and photographers were on the scene; we overheard a reporter saying that the firefighters needed to collect pieces of the scaffolding (maybe for evidence) before the body could be moved. Indeed, the FDNY had extended a truck's cherry picker to send firefighters with various tools onto the scaffolding's roof. The reporter also told the news desk the incident happened down the street from the Hooters, which had the sign "The Unofficial Convention Headquarters."
One firefighter waited for the other firefighters to come back up with an evidence bag; note the warped railing of the gondola.
Most firefighters were just waiting around to help with moving the firetrucks as four or five were up in the scaffolding.
The police tended to the body.
More details to come.
Tagged
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convention
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News: NYC
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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