Construction Accident: Two Workers Injured in Partial Collapse at One Vanderbilt Construction Site in Manhattan
Two construction workers were injured on Friday morning at the One Vanderbilt construction site in Midtown, Manhattan. The workers were in the process of removing a piece of the ceiling when a wall collapsed onto them. According to building collapse attorneys and news sources, the mesh and plaster wall hung from the ceiling that was in the process of being removed. Both workers fell about six feet from scaffolding.
Why Did This Incident Occur?
The demolition project is at 317 Madison, the future site of a 65 story hotel and office complex, which will be called One Vanderbilt. The project is one block west of Grand Central station and is currently in the demolition phase of the existing building on the property.
The company that employed both injured construction workers, Waldorf Demotion. The company has a released a written statement saying, “Two demolition workers removing a ceiling this morning at 317 Madison sustained minor injuries. The ceiling did not collapse. Both workers were transported to the hospital, are doing well and are expected to be released later today”
The injuries have been described by the press as “serious but not life threatening.”
An investigation is underway to inspect the safety conditions and the cause of the accident at the site. At this time, no results of that investigation have been released to the public, however it has been confirmed that the contractor will be fined by the Department of Buildings for “failure to safeguard all persons and property during construction operations.”
Waldorf Demolition Has A History Of Construction Incidents
This isn’t the first construction accident that Waldorf Demolition has experienced so far on the One Vanderbilt project. There was a similar incident this April, when four workers at the same worksite were hurt during a different partial collapse.
In that incident, which we blogged about at the time, the workers were removing a large chandelier from 331 Madison Avenue when the fixture came away from the ceiling. All four workers, as well as the chandelier, fell 15 feet to the ground.
No one was killed in the chandelier collapse incident, though all four workers were sent to the hospital for their injuries and one of the workers was purportedly bleeding from the mouth at the time that EMS arrived. It was never made clear whether or not the chandelier landed on any of the injured workers.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident, you are likely wondering what your rights are. Call our offices at (212) 962-1020 to speak to one of our experienced construction accident attorneys. We have been protecting workers injured at construction sites for over 25 years and have won millions for our clients.
Your legal consultation with the Law Offices of Michael Lamonsoff is absolutely free. We are here to help you as you navigate the stressful and traumatic time following a construction accident. Give us a call today.