This photo shows the debris from a crane collapse in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday in New York City. AFP

Gulf Today Report

A high-rise crane partially collapsed in New York's busy Midtown area of Manhattan on Wednesday, slamming into an adjacent building and sending concrete debris crashing to the street.

Several people suffered minor injuries in the collapse, but no one died, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.

"As you can see from the debris on the street, this could have been much worse,” the Democrat said at a news conference, noting that the street at that hour of the morning is often filled with pedestrians, cars and buses.

The crane was operating 45 stories up when its engine compartment caught fire at around 7:25 a.m., authorities said. Photos and videos on social media show flames bursting from the crane hundreds of feet above 10th Avenue at 41st Street. The crane's arm, which was carrying a 16-ton load of concrete, dangled before breaking off.

"That weight of 16 tons is attached by a cable,” said Joseph Pfeifer, first deputy commissioner for the Fire Department of New York. "As the fire heats the cable, the cable weakens to a point where it loses its strength, and that’s where the collapse occurred.”

According to another report, four civilians suffered minor injuries when the construction crane's arm collapsed shortly before 7:30 am (1130 GMT) after a fire broke out in its operating car, officials said.

Dramatic video footage posted on social media showed the arm smashing into a glass skyscraper across the road as residents ran for their lives to escape the falling debris.

A part of a crane is doused with water in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday in New York City. AFP

Mayor Eric Adams said the accident could have been much worse.

"We were extremely lucky this morning," he told reporters.

New York City Deputy Fire Chief Joseph Pfeifer said the crane was lifting 16 tons of concrete when its cables became weakened by the blaze.

He said the crane operator saw the fire and tried to extinguish it but the flames overwhelmed him and he had to leave the crane.

"The crane operator was able to get out and is safe," Pfeifer told reporters.

The fire department said it was investigating the incident which occurred on 10th Avenue near the Hudson Yards development on the west side of Manhattan.

In 2016, a crane collapsed in Lower Manhattan during wind gusts and falling snow, killing one person.