06.08.2008

Boom tips in New York

A self propelled articulated boom lift working at the World Financial Center, in lower Manhattan, New York, tipped over in the early hours of Tuesday morning, killing the two men in the platform.

The men 35-year-old Robert Fabrizio and 37-year-old Garin Fabrizio of Milford, Pennsylvania – cousins – were washing the windows of the World Financial Center, adjacent to Ground Zero when the accident happened. Both men were long time employees of Total Building Services in Elizabeth, New Jersey
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The fallen boom lift

Witnesses say that the lift, a JLG 800 AJ articulated boom lift owned by rental company Sunbelt, was being driven when it tipped and catapulted the men to the ground from around 12 metres up.

There are few clues as to what caused the accident, but given the circumstances, the only logical explanation at this stage is that the ground gave way under both wheels of the rear axle. The riser/lower boom was retracted and in a partially raised position, while the main boom was at a relatively low angle, so the machine would have ordinarily been very stable.
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The machine some hours later

A spokesman for the Buildings Department said the agency is investigating what caused the machine to fall.