Crane Rigger to Be Charged in 2007 East Side Collapse

The Times reports a rigger who worked on the crane that collapsed at East 51st Street in 2007, killing seven, will be charged with criminally negligent homicide, reckless endangerment and second-degree assault. The spectacular collapse and other smaller construction disasters briefly elevated public anxiety over large building projects and brought closer government scrutiny to the local crane industry, resulting in the March arrest of a city buildings inspector and reinspection of the cranes he serviced, as well as the October indictment of Acting Chief Inspector for Cranes and Derricks James Delayo and others. (photo via digiart2001)