Massive crane collapses into buildings in Manhattan, dropping 16-ton load of concrete, injuring at least 5

A crane collapse in the Hell's Kitchen district of Manhattan was caught on video smashing into multiple buildings, causing unknown amounts of damage, according to reports.

Five people were injured, including a firefighter, emergency medical personnel with the FDNY told NBC News.

The top portion of the construction crane was filmed collapsing and hitting a building across the street before swinging back to hit another building that is currently under construction. Pedestrians are recorded running from the scene.

Three people were reportedly taken to a hospital with minor injuries, according to the FDNY and Mayor Eric Adams, NBC reported.

Mayor Adams pledged a “full investigation” into the crane incident and said that it caught fire around 10 a.m., which resulted in the crane's boom and concrete load plummeting to the ground.

Initial reports from FDNY Deputy Commissioner Joseph Pfeifer said the fire broke out inside the engine of the crane, about 45 stories high. Firefighters reportedly heard the crane collapse while they were on their way to the scene, before the load fell, which was a reported as 16 tons.

An emergency alert was issued by the city that warned New Yorkers to "expect smoke, traffic delays, and a presence of emergency personnel and vehicles in the area."

Then, about 30 minutes later, another alert described the fire as a "five alarm fire" and warned citizens about smoke exposure.

Residents were advised to avoid smoke exposure from structural fires by "closing windows while indoors and reducing outdoor activity where smoke is present."

Authorities will look at all parties involved in the crane's operation as part of an investigation, according to Commissioner of Buildings James Oddo. Engineers will also assess the structural integrity of the building opposite the crane that was struck, CNN reported.

“This could have been much worse,” Mayor Adams said, according to the Washington Times.

"We are extremely fortunate that we weren't during a busy time of the day," the mayor added.

The mayor then applauded first responders for evacuating the surrounding buildings. Over 200 firefighters reportedly responded to the scene of the incident.

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