More than a dozen people were injured yesterday when scaffolding erected around a two-story building in West Harlem collapsed and fell onto a passing MTA bus.
Riders on the Bx15 bus and bystanders — including two police officers — were injured in the collapse at the corner of Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 125th Street.
Several people were trapped under the rubble of the building and needed to be pulled to safety by firefighters.
All of the injuries were minor, but 18 people total were hurt, according to the FDNY. Seven of the injured refused medical attention, and 11 were transported to local hospitals.
MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz said the bus was carrying more than 20 passengers. Ten were injured, he said, including the bus driver.
The Bx15 bus had just finished collecting passengers, Ortiz said, and was about to pull out of the bus stop when the building collapsed.
Building slated for demolition
new york. The building was reportedly scheduled for demolition, according to reports, and was originally five stories tall before construction crews knocked it down to two stories. The city Department of Buildings received a complaint about bricks falling off the structure on Sept. 7, according to reports, but a later inspection found no safety violations at the site.
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