On February 5, 2016, a 565-foot crawler crane toppled on Worth Street in Tribeca. It crushed a parked car and killed 38-year-old pedestrian David Wichs. Three others were injured. The operator had failed to secure the crane the night before while lowering it in 37 mph winds.
That single collapse produced a $272.5 million settlement, the largest crane accident payout in New York City history. The operator’s license was permanently revoked.
It wasn’t an isolated event. Two crane collapses in 2008 killed a combined nine people. A 2023 fire on a crane 45 stories above Hell’s Kitchen injured 12. Each disaster triggered regulatory reforms. Each time, the pattern held: warnings ignored, enforcement gaps exploited, workers and pedestrians paying the price.
Here is what the data shows about crane collapses in New York City, what changed after each one, and where liability falls.
The Three Deadliest Crane Collapses in NYC History
March 15, 2008: East 51st Street
A tower crane collapsed on Manhattan’s East Side. Seven people killed, 24 injured. The OSHA investigation found the crane had been improperly rigged with four nylon slings instead of the required eight steel slings during a jumping operation.
The crane’s owner, James Lomma of New York Crane and Equipment Corp., was indicted on manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges. A jury returned a $96 million verdict against his companies, later reduced to $35 million on appeal. Lomma was acquitted on the criminal charges.
May 30, 2008: East 91st Street
Eleven weeks later, another crane owned by the same company collapsed on the Upper East Side. Two workers killed. The cause: a faulty turntable bearing manufactured in China. The manufacturer had warned Lomma about quality concerns before the bearing was installed.
A jury awarded $48 million to the families. The NYC Department of Buildings Commissioner resigned.
February 5, 2016: Worth Street, Tribeca
A 565-foot crawler crane being lowered ahead of high winds tipped over. It stretched an entire city block. One pedestrian killed, three injured. The operator was lowering the boom but failed to properly secure it overnight.
At the time, 429 cranes were operating across the five boroughs: 376 crawler cranes and 53 tower cranes.
The resulting litigation produced a $272.5 million settlement, the largest crane accident settlement in New York City history.
The 2023 Hell’s Kitchen Incident
On July 26, 2023, a hydraulic hose failure caused a fire on a Favelle Favco crane 45 stories above Hell’s Kitchen. Twelve workers were injured. The crane was owned by New York Crane and Equipment. Same company at the center of both 2008 collapses.
The DOB investigation found the company had ignored a 2016 manufacturer safety bulletin. It specifically addressed the hydraulic system at the point of failure.
The incident led to the most sweeping crane regulation in the city’s history. In December 2025, the city mandated fire suppression systems on all diesel tower cranes operating in New York.
## National Crane Fatality Data
The Bureau of Labor Statistics recorded 297 crane-related fatalities nationwide between 2011 and 2017. An average of 42 deaths per year. New York City accounts for about 6% of national crane fatalities despite operating a disproportionately small share of the country’s crane fleet.
OSHA data shows 45% of crane accidents involve power line contact. About 50% of fatal crane injuries are struck-by incidents: workers or bystanders hit by the crane structure, loads, or debris.
How NYC Changed Its Crane Laws
Every major collapse has triggered legislative action. The regulatory timeline:
After the 2008 collapses:
- 12 new crane safety laws enacted
- NCCCO (National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators) certification required for all crane operators in the city
- $4 million crane oversight study commissioned
- DOB Commissioner Robert LiMandri resigned
- Master rigger and signal person licensing requirements tightened
After the 2016 Worth Street collapse:
- Wind threshold for crane operations lowered to 20 mph
- Fines for crane safety violations doubled to $10,000
- Local Law 3 of 2018: 25-year age limit imposed on cranes operating in NYC
- Crane operators required to submit weather monitoring plans before operations
After the 2023 Hell’s Kitchen fire:
- Fire suppression systems mandated on all diesel tower cranes (December 2025)
- Hoisting Machine Operator (HMO) license expanded to cover mini cranes and articulating booms, making NYC the first city in the nation to regulate these smaller machines
DOB enforcement in 2024:
- 416,290 field inspections conducted (a record)
- Construction injuries dropped 30% compared to the prior year
- Worker fatalities at a 10-year low
Where Crane Activity Stands Now
Crane activity in NYC has contracted sharply. The RLB North America Crane Index reported 9 active tower cranes in Q1 2025, dropping to 6 by Q3 2025. That reflects both the regulatory tightening and the broader slowdown in new construction starts.
For context, 429 cranes were operating across the city at the time of the 2016 Worth Street collapse. The current count is a fraction of that peak.
Liability in NYC Crane Collapse Cases
Crane collapse cases are complex. Multiple parties, multiple insurance policies, federal and state regulations. But New York’s legal framework heavily favors injured workers and bystanders.
: The Scaffold Law. This statute imposes absolute liability on property owners and general contractors for gravity-related injuries on construction sites. A crane collapse is a textbook 240(1) case. It doesn’t matter if the owner hired a subcontractor. It doesn’t matter if the injured worker made a mistake. The property owner and general contractor are liable.
Multiple responsible parties. A single crane collapse can produce claims against:
- The crane owner/operator company
- The general contractor
- The property owner
- The crane manufacturer (products liability)
- The rigger or signal person
- Engineering firms that approved crane plans
Verdicts and settlements. NYC crane collapse cases consistently produce eight- and nine-figure outcomes:
- $272.5 million (2016 Worth Street)
- $96 million, reduced to $35 million (2008 East 51st Street)
- $48 million (2008 East 91st Street)
These figures reflect the severity of crane collapse injuries: crush injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, amputations, and death.
The Pattern
Every major NYC crane collapse follows the same pattern: known risks that went unaddressed, safety bulletins ignored, cost-cutting that overrode caution.
One company connects the dots. New York Crane and Equipment was involved in both the 2008 East 51st Street collapse (improper rigging) and the 2023 Hell’s Kitchen fire (ignored safety bulletin). Between those incidents, the city passed dozens of new laws, doubled fines, and created new licensing requirements. Fatalities have declined. But the underlying dynamic persists.
Construction in New York City requires cranes. Cranes require operators, riggers, engineers, and inspectors to do their jobs correctly every time. When they don’t, the consequences land on workers and pedestrians.
