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Mar 17, 2008 11:50 pm US/Eastern
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Work Site Had 38 Complaints Before Crane Collapse
Contractor Told Buildings Dept. 'Crane Does Not Appear Braced To Building'
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
With the bodies of the last reported missing people in Saturday's crane collapse apparently recovered Monday, authorities now turn to try and piece together how the tragic incident happened and who was responsible for it.
Was it human error or a mechanical failure that caused the crane to crash down 19 stories, killing seven and injuring two dozen?
As investigators sorted through the mess, neighbors say it was an accident waiting to happen
"My first reaction was, 'I told them so,'" said Bruce Silberblatt, a retired contractor who made one of the 38 complaints about the construction on the building.
Less than two weeks before the accident, Silberblatt called the Buildings Department to complain that the "crane does not appear to be braced to the building."
"Clearly something has to be changed here," he said. "There are 250 of these other cranes scattered around the city. They are 250 time bombs as far as I'm concerned."
The crane collapsed as workers were extending its height on Saturday. Officials believe one of the metal collars supposed to keep the crane anchored to the building failed.
The accident has now raised questions about who was responsible for overseeing the project. CBS 2 has learned that investigators are now focusing on Joy Contractors, the company hired to operate the giant crane.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), this isn't the first time Joy Contractors has been involved in an investigation.
In 2006, inspectors discovered dangerous work conditions at a work site in Westchester. The company was cited with a "fall from height" violation and charged with two serious penalties. It paid out $4,000 in fines.
CBS 2 went to Elizabeth, N.J., the home of Joy Contractors, but the company's president was not there to comment.
The city has now ordered all construction sites using high-rise cranes to undergo new inspections. The Manhattan District Attorney's office has also launched a probe into the deadly accident.
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