A New York City teenager was injured recently by an iron bar that fell 13 floors from the World Trade Center’s Tower 4, currently undergoing construction.
While the teenager only received a bruise on his hand and was treated at the nearby Engine 10 Firehouse, the construction accident has alarmed residents of the area and members of the WTC Redevelopment Committee. While the gap through which the bar fell has been covered, many think the situation could have been avoided if proper safety measures were implemented to protect pedestrians in the frequently trafficked area.
One woman was walking nearby with her four-year-old child when the accident occurred, which has prompted her to call for more safety officers in the region. She explained to a media outlet that she already views the area as unsafe due to heavy foot traffic. The woman argued that the danger of trampling and the risk of future construction accidents combine to create ideal conditions for further injury or even death.
Citing a previous accident by the same construction firm, the WTC Redevelopment Committee chairperson said that it was chance that nothing worse than a bruise came out of the incident.
More severe injuries, even fatal ones, could easily occur if pedestrians and workers are not properly protected.
The Committee asked the firm to construct more scaffolding to protect passersby from falling debris, but the chairperson suggested that more measures may need to be taken to ensure the safety of the New York City residents that pass by the construction site every day.
Source: Downtown Express: “Iron rod falls 13 floors from Tower 4 to street”: May 11, 2011