A box truck crashed into a sidewalk shed in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood Monday morning, November 18, 2024, causing a scaffolding collapse that injured three pedestrians, with one person critically wounded.
The incident occurred around 8:17 a.m. on West 29th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues when a 62-year-old box truck driver attempted to pull out of a parking spot. The vehicle struck the scaffolding structure, triggering the collapse of a 40-foot section onto the sidewalk. City officials quickly arrived at the scene to assess the stability of the remaining structure and evaluate any further risks to pedestrians and nearby buildings.
Three men, aged 21, 20, and 30, were transported to Bellevue Hospital following the collapse. One victim suffered a serious head injury and remains in critical condition, while the other two sustained serious injuries but are expected to survive. Surveillance footage captured the moment of impact, showing one individual trying to escape before being hit by falling debris.
The box truck driver remained at the scene and cooperated with authorities. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made, and the driver has not been cited in connection with the incident.
The New York City Department of Buildings later posted on its social media account that the sidewalk shed associated with 231 West 29th Street had an active permit. Although the property owners were issued an administrative violation to repair the structure, they were found to comply with all regulations before the crash.
The collapse has reignited concerns about New York City’s vast network of sidewalk sheds, with nearly 400 miles of scaffolding structures currently in place across the city. Council member Eric Bottcher has proposed legislation to limit how long these structures can remain, addressing long-standing criticisms that many sidewalk sheds linger far beyond their intended purpose.
The collapsed sidewalk shed had been flagged for unsafe conditions in August 2023, though these issues were reportedly resolved before Monday’s incident. However, the event serves as a reminder of the risks associated with such structures.
Scaffolding-related accidents are not uncommon in New York City or across the country. In March 2023, a wall collapse at a construction site in Lower Manhattan left one person dead and three others injured.
Nationally, a similar tragedy occurred in June 2024 at a University of Chicago Medicine construction site, where an ironworker died, and another was critically injured after falling nine stories from scaffolding. These incidents highlight the need for stringent safety protocols and regular inspections to prevent further tragedies.