December 31, 2019
New York

Businesses closed after massive Co-op City wind turbine falls

News 12 | Tuesday, December 31, 2019 | www.news12.com

A massive wind turbine in the Bronx came crashing down on Co-op City Monday.

The turbine was installed just a few weeks ago, and it was supposed to convert the wind’s kinetic energy into electricity, but instead some of it came crashing down.

Department of Buildings inspectors will remain at the scene to oversee work and make sure the area remains safe.

The top piece of the wind turbine landed on top of a car around 1:20 p.m., and the deputy assistant fire chief says high winds caused it to lose stability and break off. It hit a digital billboard underneath causing one of the screens to collapse before it landed on a car, completely crushing it. No one was injured.

The video taken from a resident nearby captured right when the top piece snapped off and hit the ground [at 1:30].

The Department of Buildings is now demanding the property owner to act right away, issuing two Class 1 violations, including failure to maintain both the monopole structure and the electronic billboard. The owner is now required to have the electronic billboard removed from the property by a professional engineer.

“I started recording it and next thing you know, it just got faster and faster and faster. The rest of the fiberglass blade blew apart and the steeple that they were on just toppled down and I heard a little crash. The windows were closed, and I was still able to hear the part come down,” says witness Basil Rodriguez.

The DOB has also issued a full work stop order, which means three local businesses have to remain closed until the area is cleared.

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2019/12/31/businesses-closed-after-massive-co-op-city-wind-turbine-falls/