Crane catches fire, partially collapses on 10th Avenue in Manhattan

A large crane on a high-rise building caught fire and partially collapsed in Manhattan on Wednesday morning, causing debris to fall to the ground.

Authorities say two firefighters and at least four civilians suffered minor injuries.

The crane is on a building under construction, located on 10th Avenue and West 41st Street. Officials say the building is about 45 stories high.

The crane was carrying 16 tons of concrete. As the fire burned, it weakened the cable holding up the concrete until the cable gave way. The crane boom and the concrete both collapsed onto the street below.

"As you can see from the debris on the street, this could have been much worse," Mayor Eric Adams said, noting that the street at that hour of the morning is often filled with pedestrians, cars and buses.

Officials said the crane operator was there when the fire broke out, but could not put the fire out and had to evacuate. He was able to escape safely.

10th Avenue is closed for safety reasons until further notice.

Authorities said nearby buildings are being evacuated for fears of an additional collapse.

Video showed firefighters dowsing water from a different building above the crane. Black smoke is billowing off the crane high above the busy streets below.

Firefighters have requested help from a master rigger, a crane supervisor, as an NYPD helicopter flies over the crane to assess the scene.

Authorities say there is one crane operator and about 50 people working near the crane on a typical day.

The mayor and a host of city officials all vowed a full investigation.