NEW YORK—Heavy snowfall Tuesday delayed the extraction of a cement truck from a building it crashed into and partially demolished the day before in the Bronx. The driver of the truck was declared dead at the scene and was still in the vehicle through the day as authorities made several attempts to pull the vehicle from the crumbling building.
The truck swerved off the Major Deegan Expressway hitting six cars before crashing into a two-story row house at 1970 Cedar Ave. The truck driver’s name is yet to be released, according to the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). His body was found trapped inside the truck.
The reason for the crash is still unclear, the FDNY said.
“We heard screeching—we’re used to that here—and then a big boom,” said Marilyn Trahan, a resident at 1958 Cedar Avenue.
Two people suffered non-life threatening major injuries; another three suffered minor injuries, including one firefighter. All five were taken to the Bronx Lebanon Hospital, the FDNY said. The injuries were mostly to the neck and back, police said.
“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” said Noe Morales, who arrived at his home at 1960 Cedar Avenue at 7 p.m., less than hour after the incident.
Officials tried to pull the truck on Monday evening with two heavy-duty tow trucks and brought in a third one later, but to no avail.
“Each time they pulled the truck, a little bit more collapsed,” said Morales.
Emergency services plan to use a heavy crane to remove the truck, their efforts were hampered by the snowstorm on Tuesday, FDNY said.
The name Precision is printed on the cement truck. Precision’s website states that it is the largest concrete pumping company in New York State. [http://www.precisionconcretepump.com/ ] Precision said that they were not aware of the incident.
“There have been accidents here before, but never this large,” said Barbara Solanan, resident at the nearby tower block in Morris Heights.
Pretty much every service was called because of utilities in the area, a spokesman for FDNY said.
The Red Cross said they housed three households of seven adults and two children. Four buildings were vacated on Monday night, of which three are temporary. They are not sure when the residents will be allowed back in to their homes.
The northbound exit and entrance ramps on the Major Deegan Expressway at 179 Street were closed due to the collision investigation according to the NYPD.
