Part of crane hits 3 World Trade Center, building under construction

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Friday, August 12, 2016
Part of a crane smashes into 3 World Trade Center
Jim Dolan reports from Lower Manhattan.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A part of a crane with a weighted ball hit 3 World Trade Center on Thursday night.

The building is under construction and is not yet open.

The part of the crane hit the 12th floor of the building around 8:30 p.m.

Fire officials say a crane had just lowered material to the ground and was bringing the cable and ball back up to the top when a gust of wind caused the ball to crash into a window.

There were no injuries and no debris fell to the ground.

An official with the city's Office of Emergency Management says the crane has been secured to the building, which currently is 45 stories high.

John Gallagher, a spokesman for Tishman Construction, released a statement:

"In keeping with safety procedures when a storm is forecast, this evening a crane was pulling in its unloaded line and hook when a gust of wind pushed the small weighted ball attached to the crane's line into the glass curtain wall in the base of 3 World Trade Center. Although a glass panel was cracked, nothing fell or is in danger of falling. Further, there were no injuries and the incident was completely contained within the site perimeter. Safety inspectors and authorities are on site and looking into the incident. The panel will be replaced."

The building at 3 World Trade is one of three new skyscrapers that replaced the Twin Towers.

It's set to open in early 2018 and is 80 stories tall.

(Some information from the Associated Press)