A construction worker was killed and four others injured Tuesday when a crane collapsed at No. 7 train subway extension construction site on the West Side, authorities said.
The accident occurred around 7:20 p.m. at West 34th Street and Eleventh Avenue when two pieces of the crane — an 80-foot section and a 40-foot one — became dislodged and fell onto the below-ground site, officials said.
“It sounded like a bomb went off,” one worker said.
“When I turned, I didn’t see the crane, the one that is always here. So we knew what it was right away. We saw a plume of smoke.”
The hardhats had to be pulled from the wreckage.
The 30-year-old deceased victim was struck directly by the falling crane, officials said.
The others were hurt by debris.
“The people who were injured were 60 feet down in the pit,” said FDNY Deputy Chief Bill Seelig. “So, it wasn’t an easy removal. It was a complicated job because it wasn’t at ground level.”
Authorities believe a cable snapped, causing the free-fall, but were still trying to confirm that last night.
The fatally injured man, whose name was withheld, was unconscious when he was pulled from the site.
Emergency responders were frantically performing CPR as he was being put into the ambulance. He was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he died.
Another victim suffered a broken leg and was also taken to Bellevue. The other workers had minor injuries.
Their colleagues were stunned, with one man hysterically crying.
“Oh, my God!” the unidentified worker wailed as he was helped into an ambulance by firefighters.
The MTA released a statement saying, “we pray for the recovery of the workers injured as a result of this tragic accident.
“We will work together with all proper authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.’’
Authorities were not immediately sure who owned the crane.
Police said they were investigating but there was no immediate indication of criminality.
Some surrounding streets were closed while the rescue was underway.
Additional reporting by Wilson Dizard and Jennifer Fermino