12 injured, including 3 firefighters, as crane arm collapses in NYC neighborhood

A machine deck fire sent a construction crane boom plunging 45 stories to the Midtown Manhattan streets, with terrified pedestrians running for their lives to the terrifying sound of the tumbling equipment on Wednesday morning. The flames caused severe damage to the 180-foot-long boom once the fire ignited high above 550 10th Ave. at 7:25 a.m., and the arm collapsed with a 16-ton load of concrete headed to the 36th floor and several loud bangs while plowing into a high-rise building across the street. A plume of thick black smoke, visible above the New York skyline for miles, rose as the sleep...