A mom says her three kids endured “psychological and emotional injuries” when a crane came crashing into an apartment with them inside, according to a new lawsuit.
Cynthia Martin claims her three kids Jeremiah, Shekinah and Trinity Garrett were all injured on July 30, 2019, at the Jacob Riis Houses after the crane dropped construction materials and swung into the New York City Housing Authority apartment they were in at the time, a new Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit alleges.
The three kids were “caused to be injured when a portion of said construction crane and/or the equipment was caused to come into contact with the premises and/or building structure located at 749 FDR Drive, particularly a portion of apartment 9B,” the court papers charge.
Specifically, when the crane was lifting steel beams that weighed about 4,400 pounds, the crane’s boom was caused to bend sending it into the building structure, the court documents allege.
As a result of the incident Martin has been forced to pay for medical care for her children who “suffered psychological and emotional injuries,” the court papers say.
A partially collapsed crane between 765 and 749 FDR DriveWilliam FarringtonNYCHA, DMD Contracting, United Crane and Rigging Services and the crane operator were all “negligent, careless and reckless” in allowing the accident to occur, the court documents claim.
Martin is suing for unspecified damages.
The crane was being used to repair a roof at one of the NYCHA buildings at the time, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Two towers at the Jacob Riis Houses were partially evacuated though officials said that no one was injured in the accident, according to the report.
The incident and other NYCHA fiascos prompted City Councilwoman Carlina Rivera to call on the incoming NYCHA chairman to strengthen agency oversight over Superstorm Sandy Reconstruction.
A rep with DMD Contracting LLC declined to comment while noting, “the crane was not contracted by our company directly.”
A NYCHA spokesperson declined to comment, noting, “We have not been served with this summons and complaint.”
United Crane and Rigging Services, Inc. did not immediately return a request for comment.
