SUNDAY NIGHT MAYHEM: WOMAN FALLS THROUGH SCAFFOLDING, VAN HITS DELIVERY BICYCLIST
Two nasty accidents occurred on the Upper West Side late on Sunday.
A woman fell through scaffolding to the ground about 20 feet below on Columbus Avenue between 75th and 76th Streets shortly before midnight on Sunday. She had apparently stepped onto the scaffolding from the fire escape during a dinner party to take a smoke break when the wood beneath her gave way and she fell to the ground, her friends told us.
So many ambulances and police cars showed up that it basically closed Columbus Avenue, which was already deserted as most people were inside getting ready for Hurricane Sandy. There was blood and chunks of broken wood on the ground in front of the Bank of America where she fell. EMT’s put her on a gurney and took her to the hospital. She was conscious but clearly in quite a bit of pain, yelling in agony.
A delivery bicyclist for Chirping Chicken was hit by a van (pictured at left) on 68th Street and Columbus Avenue shortly before 9:30 p.m., Mel Wymore told us. Mel happened to be walking by just after the crash. He said the bicyclist was alive but appeared to have badly hurt his legs. Witnesses told Mel that the bicyclist had crossed against the light going the wrong way. Police had no information on the crash when we inquired a few hours later.
Good to know that neighborhood scaffolding is so secure, going into the hurricane.
Secure?? Going into a hurricane, scaffolding shouldn’t even be UP!!!!
I see those delivery guys riding up Columbus Ave. and think how crazy they are riding against traffic. I’m surprised there aren’t more of these accidents.
Scaffolding (known in NYC as ‘stoop sheds’) are there to protect pedestrians from falling objects. They are NOT meant for humans taking smoke breaks (?????) on top.
And taking down these sheds because they ‘shouldn’t even be UP!!!!’ is a nice, but unrealistic thought, since they lie horizontally and can withstand very strong gusts.
I wonder if alcohol was involved? I think my 7yr old granddaughter knows better. She will probably sue!