Many buildings throughout the city and state of New York are unfortunately in poor condition due to insufficient maintenance and negligent landlords. As a result, these hazardous conditions not only affect residents, but can also put the pedestrians on the streets below at risk. Construction workers who are brought in to help repair these buildings can also find themselves in dangerous situations. If these safety issues are not properly addressed, accidents will continue to happen resulting in serious injury or death.

CONSTRUCTION WORKER KILLED BY BUILDING DEFECT 

On September 10th in Cypress Hills Brooklyn, a construction worker was killed when a parapet wall collapsed on him while performing work on the roof of a one-story garage. The victim was 58 years old. The Department of Buildings (DOB) issued a full work stop order and sanctioned the property owner with building code violations for its failure to safely maintain the structure.

Among the staggering amount of defects that were found, the most notable ones were “missing mortar around bricks” as well as “cracks at various locations.” The DOB also noted that the hazardous condition could have put pedestrians in harm’s way.

BUILDING WALL COLLAPSE INJURES MULTIPLE PEOPLE 

Earlier this year on July 23rd in Bellerose, Queens almost 200 feet of parapet wall detached from a commercial building and crashed to the sidewalk along Jericho Turnpike. Three people were injured, including a pedestrian walking below at the time of the accident and two children in a Jeep parked on the street underneath the building.

Eyewitnesses told ABC7NY News that the building’s wall gave way without warning, “I stopped at the light… and heard a loud boom,” said one woman. “So I looked behind me and just saw smoke in the air and people running toward the building.”

According to New York City building officials, the accident occurred from long term water damage and a lack of maintenance that was overlooked for a long time. The DOB issued multiple violations on the building owner for its failure to maintain the property.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU’VE BEEN INJURED FROM A COLLAPSED BUILDING 

These events provide a stark and serious reminder that you should always be alert and aware of your surroundings.  If you have been injured in an accident of this nature, it is important you speak to a lawyer right away to discuss your case. The Klein and Cardali Law Group, PLLC, has many years of experience in litigating cases such as these for injuries as the result of poorly maintained buildings.