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Six construction workers and a tourist were killed when a crane collapsed at the site of a highrise apartment building that was under construction. Two dozen people were injured when an adjacent brownstone flattened. The crane was owned by William Rapetti. He was responsible for supervising the assembly of the crane as sections were added and the crane was raised. When the crew was extending the crane upwards and attempting to secure the collar to the building with steel tie beams, the collar fell. The crane fell to the south across East 51st Street. The tower separated into three sections. Records showed that Ed Marquette, a city crane inspector, had inspected the crane 11 days prior to the collapse, but he had not actually conducted the inspection. Cellphone records showed that Marquette had a habit of being at home or at a local bar during working hours.
Unavailable
Crane Collapse
New York
New York
March 15, 2008
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| First | Last | Age | Title | Employer | Injury Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Construction Worker | Unavailable | Fatality |
| Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Bystander | None | Fatality |
| Unavailable | Unavailable | Unavailable | Bystander | None | Injury |
| Name | Type | Title | Plea Information | Conviction Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Marquette | Individual | Inspector | Pleaded not guilty | Convicted of filing false records (2 felony counts), but acquitted of any wrongdoing related to the crane collapse. 5 years probation with no prison time and required to remain sober. |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Filing a False Instrument; Falsifying Business Records; Official Misconduct (N.Y. Pen. Law Sec. 195.00) |
Other Crimes Charged
Unavailable |
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| James Delayo | Individual | Former Chief Crane Inspector for the City | Unavailable | 6 years in prison |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Unavailable |
Other Crimes Charged
Unavailable |
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| William Rapetti | Individual | Owner | Pleaded not guilty | Acquitted of all charges. In a separate administrative proceeding, he was found negligent in violating several city building laws. On July 20, 2011, he was stripped of his license and permanently barred from operating or erecting cranes in the city. His business license was suspended in 2009. |
|
Penal Crimes Charged
Second Degree Manslaughter; Criminally Negligent Homicide; Reckless Endangerment |
Other Crimes Charged
Unavailable |
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