MANHATTAN, NY – The top of a five-story building in Murray Hill collapsed on Wednesday, causing bricks to fall to the street, injuring one person below.
GWYNNE HOGAN/GOTHAMIST
A five-story building’s exterior wall began to crumble at approximately 12:30 p.m. on July 8. According to Gothamist, the building, located at 205 East 38th Street, had been previously used as a parking garage, but it was vacant at the time of the collapse. The New York Department of Buildings (DOB) stated that a 45-foot by 10-foot section of exterior bricks crumbled from the parapet level of the building.
A witness to the event stated that he saw a delivery man walking past the front of the building, as the wall began to collapse. The delivery man then ran from the building as more bricks and debris fell from the top of the building, covering the street and severely damaging several nearby cars.
Another man was sitting in his parked black Cadillac at the time of the collapse. Bricks crushed the man’s vehicle, and injured to his leg, according to NBC 4 New York. Medics transported the man to the hospital for treatment, but a firefighter at the scene stated that the man’s injuries were not life-threatening.
Although the building was vacant at the time of the collapse, in May the DOB received a tip that the building was undergoing construction without a permit. DOB inspectors attempted to visit the site twice, after receiving this complaint, but they were unable to gain access to the building. DOB records also indicate that this building was facing seven violations, dating from 2012 to the present day, due to safety concerns about the structure.
At this time, the FDNY has not released information about the cause of the collapse. However, they have requested that the DOB performs a full inspection of the building’s exterior, to determine if the building is still structurally sound.
Building Permits in New York City
Acquiring the appropriate building permits is an essential part of any construction project. The city issues building permits to make sure that workers are performing construction safely and that the proposed project meets the city’s building, construction, and zoning codes. Once the city issues a permit, inspectors will visit the construction site throughout the project, to ensure that workers and managers are upholding safety standards.
When a construction site manager fails to obtain a permit for their project, they demonstrate serious negligence, which could cause serious worksite hazards for workers and bystanders.
Construction site accidents are often preventable if everyone on the site works responsibly. However, construction accidents are unfortunately common, often resulting from problems such as:
- Roof collapse
- Structural instability
- Falling objects
- Defective building materials
- Equipment malfunction or misuse
- Exposed electrical wires
Contact Our Construction Accident Law Firm in Bronx, NY
If you or a loved one were injured in a construction accident, you have the right to take action and demand compensation. The New York construction accident attorneys at Oresky & Associates PLLC have spent years protecting the people of New York after a serious construction accident. Now it is time for us to fight for you and your right to fair compensation. If you need legal assistance, contact the Bronx construction accident lawyers at Oresky & Associates, PLLC at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation.
We have two convenient locations in New York:
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Bronx Office
149 E 149th St
Bronx, NY 10451
(718) 993-9999
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Queens Office
104-09 Roosevelt Ave
Queens, NY 11368
(347) 507-3884
