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Final bodies found in NY rubble | |
(40 minutes later) | |
Rescuers in New York have retrieved the bodies of three more people who died when a giant crane collapsed in Manhattan's East Side. | |
It brings to seven the number of people killed when the crane toppled and crashed, demolishing a building. | |
The bodies of two construction workers and a woman who had been visiting a friend were the last to be found. | |
At least 17 were injured in what Mayor Michael Bloomberg called one of the city's worst construction accidents. | At least 17 were injured in what Mayor Michael Bloomberg called one of the city's worst construction accidents. |
Rescuers had been picking carefully through the debris in the hope of finding the remaining missing people alive. | |
The crash destroyed a four-storey townhouse and demolished parts of five other buildings. | The crash destroyed a four-storey townhouse and demolished parts of five other buildings. |
The missing woman had come from Miami to visit a friend, said John LaGreco, the owner of the Fubar tavern on the ground floor of the townhouse. | The missing woman had come from Miami to visit a friend, said John LaGreco, the owner of the Fubar tavern on the ground floor of the townhouse. |
He said she had been in her friend's second-floor apartment at the time of the accident on Saturday afternoon - the friend had been rescued, he added. | He said she had been in her friend's second-floor apartment at the time of the accident on Saturday afternoon - the friend had been rescued, he added. |
The other six people who died were construction workers. | |
'Freak accident' | 'Freak accident' |
The crane, which stood 19 storeys high, was being used in the construction of a new high-rise apartment building. | The crane, which stood 19 storeys high, was being used in the construction of a new high-rise apartment building. |
The crane crushed a townhouse and parts of five other buildings | The crane crushed a townhouse and parts of five other buildings |
The accident happened during an attempt to extend the crane to allow workers to start work on a new level of the building, said one of the owners of the company managing the construction site. | The accident happened during an attempt to extend the crane to allow workers to start work on a new level of the building, said one of the owners of the company managing the construction site. |
Stephen Kaplan, of the Reliance Construction Group, said a piece of steel had fallen and cut one of the ties holding the crane to the building, causing it to detach itself and fall. | Stephen Kaplan, of the Reliance Construction Group, said a piece of steel had fallen and cut one of the ties holding the crane to the building, causing it to detach itself and fall. |
"It was an absolute freak accident," he said. "All the piece of steel had to do was fall slightly left or right, and nothing would have happened." | "It was an absolute freak accident," he said. "All the piece of steel had to do was fall slightly left or right, and nothing would have happened." |
He added that his company had sub-contracted the work to different companies, and was not in charge of the crane. | He added that his company had sub-contracted the work to different companies, and was not in charge of the crane. |
Reliance released a statement expressing sympathy for the families of the dead and injured. | Reliance released a statement expressing sympathy for the families of the dead and injured. |
It added that it had launched its own investigation, and was co-operating with external investigators. | It added that it had launched its own investigation, and was co-operating with external investigators. |
The East 51st Development Company, which owns the property, also issued a statement expressing sympathy for the victims. | The East 51st Development Company, which owns the property, also issued a statement expressing sympathy for the victims. |
Mayor Bloomberg said 24 people were injured, including 11 emergency workers. Eight people remain in hospital. | Mayor Bloomberg said 24 people were injured, including 11 emergency workers. Eight people remain in hospital. |
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