Collapsed Crane Removed From Outside Penn Station
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - A crane attached to a truck that collapsed near Penn Station Monday night has been removed.
The crane was removed at around 6:20 a.m.
Commuters had to contend with the closure of 34th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. It reopened after the crane was removed.
The vehicle is called a knuckle boom truck - a truck with a crane-like device - which is used to lift heavy objects. Investigators say it was hoisting beams on 34th Street Monday night when it came crashing down.
It happened around 10:20 p.m. Monday night at 250 West 34th Street, just outside one of the entrances to Penn Station. The collapse triggered a huge emergency response.
The truck was hoisting beams as part of the installation of a sidewalk shed, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported. The boom of the truck collapsed, sending debris raining down.
Witnesses described moments of panic.
"We heard it because we heard a big boom, and we ran over here to see what was going to happen, because we thought it was a gunshot," said witness Ashley Pierre.
One person's foot was injured by the falling debris.
Knuckle boom trucks are not required to have Department of Buildings permits, Burrell reported. The DoB is now investigating how and why it happened.