By Joan Gralla
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A large crane collapsed in New YorkCity on Friday, killing one person and damaging an apartmentbuilding on Manhattan's upper east side, emergency servicessaid.
One person died in the collapse shortly after 8 a.m. EDT (1p.m. British time), the New York City Fire Department said.
The top section of the crane smashed into "The Electra"apartment building, which is more than 20 floors high, on 91stStreet and First Avenue. The crane was working on a buildingunder construction across the street from the apartmentbuilding.
Television footage showed part of the crane in a crumpledmess in the street and a corner apartment at the top of thebuilding that had been demolished. Balconies had been rippedfrom apartments on the building as the crane fell.
Grant Disick, a doctor who was just a few blocks away whenthe crane collapsed, was one of the first people on the sceneto offer assistance.
"At least one person is still pinned under there," Disicktold Reuters. "I felt the pulse on the first guy, I could seehalf of his body."
He said he saw another injured man across the street, whowas "alert and conscious."
In March a giant crane fell and crushed a residentialbuilding in midtown Manhattan, killing seven people andinjuring more than 10 others. In October a crane dropped acontainer of debris from the 53rd floor of a skyscraper nearTimes Square, injuring several people.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg told local radio on Fridaythat public safety was top priority and that the city would not"tolerate any rate of accidents higher than it has to be."
"This is just unacceptable and we have got to figure outwhat happened here," he said. "I gather the vertical part ofthe crane stayed attached to the building the way it's supposedto. This looks like the top came off."
"The public walking by shouldn't be at risk," Bloombergsaid.
(Writing by Michelle Nichols, editing by Vicki Allen)
