Friday, May 1, 2015

WORKER CRUSHED TO DEATH AT MANHATTAN HOTEL CONSTRUCTION SITE WHEN THE KNUCKLE BOOM CRANE COLLAPSED










APRIL 24, 2015

MANHATTAN, NY

A 40-year-old worker was killed in a construction accident in Midtown Manhattan on Friday, the authorities said.

The man, Trevor Loftus of Yonkers, (owner of Kenry Construction Inc) was moving construction materials at the site — 219 East 44th Street, between Second and Third Avenues — with a truck-mounted device called a knuckle boom when its hydraulic system failed, officials said. “He went to check on it, and he basically got crushed,” a police spokeswoman said.

The crane truck is owned by Kenry Contracting, Inc., 9 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10705, (914) 237-3797.

The episode, which is under investigation, occurred around 11:45 a.m., officials said. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, the police said.

Eddie Jorge, an organizer for the New York State Ironworkers District Council, who was at the scene after the accident occurred, said problems like this with knuckle booms were fairly rare. An employee who answered the phone at the company that owns the truck, Kerry Contracting Inc. of Yonkers, said the company had no comment.

According to records from the city’s Buildings Department, a 35-story hotel is being built on the site. The developer of record for the project, Raber Enterprises, did not return phone calls or an email on Friday afternoon. A woman who answered the phone at another company connected to the project, Flintlock Construction Services L.L.C., said it was “a tragic accident,” but otherwise had no comment.

Loftus was a native of Ireland, where he grew up in County Limerick.  He played soccer and hurling for the club Pallaskenry GAA. He watched the club play in January, said Trish O'Dowd, treasurer of the club.

"He was a good club man and in later years supported our fundraisers," O'Dowd said. "He always put his mam and younger brothers first in anything and was a great family man. Obviously we are raw since his death and hope he sleeps in peace."  RIP.