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3 drivers hurt in Tappan Zee Bridge crane collapse, operator rescued from water

NEW YORK — The Latest on a crane collapses at the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York: 8:20 p.m. Six of the seven lanes on the Tappan Zee Bridge have reopened after a...
tappan zee

NEW YORK — The Latest on a crane collapses at the Tappan Zee Bridge in New York:

8:20 p.m.

Six of the seven lanes on the Tappan Zee Bridge have reopened after a crane collapsed across the entire width of the bridge earlier in the day.

The bridge connects Westchester and Rockland counties north of New York City.

The New York State Thruway Authority says that three lanes are now open in each direction. The one remaining southbound lane will remain closed until further notice.

Drivers are being advised to expect delays.

The crane had been in use on a new bridge that’s being built alongside the old bridge. It was unclear what made it fall. No cars were hit and no one was seriously hurt.

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5 p.m.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says it was a miracle that a crane collapsed across a major highway in the state in the middle of the day and nobody was seriously hurt.

No cars were struck when the crane collapsed Tuesday on the Tappan Zee Bridge. The operator of the crane also made it out safely.

Tappan Zee Constructors President Terry Towle says a Coast Guard report that the crane operator needed to be rescued from the Hudson River was incorrect. He says the operator was not thrown into the water.

The crane was using a 121,000-pound hammer to vibrate pilings into the river bottom when it broke apart.

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3:40 p.m.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the Tappan Zee Bridge won’t reopen to traffic until a structural inspection shows it’s safe after a crane collapse.

He says the inspection should be done in several hours.

The crane collapsed across the span of the bridge; it had been on a new bridge that’s under construction alongside the old bridge.

The collapse brought traffic to a halt, but no cars were hit and no one was seriously injured.

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3:15 p.m.

Two workers on New York’s Tappan Zee Bridge have been injured in the collapse of a construction crane across the bridge.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day on his official Twitter feed says that brings the total up to five people injured and also includes three drivers. He says none of the injuries are serious.

Day also says there’s some damage to the bridge itself.

The crane had been on a new bridge that’s under construction next to the old one. It toppled over onto the old bridge around noon, bringing traffic to a halt. No cars were hit.

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3 p.m.

The Coast Guard says a crane operator was rescued from the Hudson River after the construction equipment collapsed onto New York’s Tappan Zee Bridge.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day said earlier Tuesday that the crane operator was shaken but not hurt. Day says three drivers who swerved to avoid the crane were injured but not seriously.

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1:30 p.m.

A county official says three drivers have been hurt, none seriously, when they swerved to avoid a crane collapse on New York’s Tappan Zee Bridge.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day also said Tuesday on his official Twitter feed that the crane operator was shaken but not hurt.

The giant construction crane toppled off the new Tappan Zee Bridge, which is being constructed north of New York City, around noon Tuesday.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJzheZ0JK18

12:30 p.m.

A crane has collapsed across lanes of traffic at the Tappan Zee Bridge in the New York City suburbs.

Video from a news helicopter showed at least one person being taken out of a car and loaded into an ambulance after the crane collapsed around noon Tuesday.

Online images show a piece of a crane sprawled across lanes in both directions on the bridge, which spans Rockland and Westchester counties.

Rockland County Executive Ed Day says a helicopter and marine unit are on the scene.

In March, a 90-foot tugboat sank after it hit a construction barge near the bridge site, killing three crew members.

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