Tappan Zee Bridge closed for inspection after crane falls
NEW YORK _ A crane driving pilings for the new Tappan Zee Bridge project collapsed at about noon Tuesday, causing minor injuries and blocking all lanes of traffic on the busy span north of New York City, authorities said.
At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said a crane operating a vibratory hammer failed, causing the boom to collapse across the bridge, which spans the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester counties.
"We don't know exactly what caused the malfunction," he said.
Cuomo said one worker received minor injuries, and two cars had minor accidents as they attempted to avoid the crane debris.
"But miraculously, there were no serious injuries whatsoever," he said.
Investigators must now piece together what happened and determine the extent of the damage to the Tappan Zee Bridge, which is being replaced by a new span, Cuomo said.
Cuomo said the boom of the crane caused visible damage to at least one southbound lane of the bridge _ damage that is significant enough to keep that lane from immediately reopening.
The crane was one of 28 working on the bridge on Tuesday, he said.
_Newsday
