Van crashes into scaffold in Harlem, injuring 6;1 construction worker in critical condition

An out-of-control van jumped a curb in Harlem Saturday morning and slammed into a construction site, knocking down scaffolding and injuring six people.

The aftermath of the scene where an out-of-control van collided with a scaffolding on Lenox Ave. in Harlem on Saturday.

One of the hardhats working on the scaffolding was critically injured and had to be dug out from a pile of twisted metal and shattered wood, witnesses said."I heard the collision and then I came out and saw the crash," a construction worker who was across the street. "We pulled the scaffolding off and that's when we saw him," said Consella, 33. "He was blue ... he was bleeding from the mouth and head."

The van that jumped the curb. There were 6 people injured in the crash,including a construction worker who was buried in the rubble.

The 15 feet of scaffolding came tumbling down when the van suddenly roared up onto the sidewalk on Lenox Ave. at 11:15 a.m., officials said."He jumped the sidewalk and then hit the scaffolding," said Kereem Alghazeli, who owns the Xquisite Deli next door to the construction site. "It sounded like the whole building fell down."The van had parked around the corner on W. 136th St. and investigators believe its accelerator got stuck when the driver tried to pull into traffic, officials said.The speeding van did not stop after it hit the scaffolding and instead barreled down the block before finally coming to a rest on W. 137th St., witnesses said."I was scared he was going to crash into more people," said Alghazeli.Four other people were hurt when the scaffolding collapsed though their injuries are considered minor, officials said.Sidewalk vendor Robert Bennett, 65, was selling clothes in front of the pharmacy when he was trapped by the falling debris.

"It could've been worse," said his wife Sabrina Bennett, who expressed gratitude to firefighters who pulled her husband to safety. "Thank you...God bless you."

The seriously injured construction worker was treated at Harlem Hospital across the street from the accident site. He is expected to survive, officials said.The driver of the van was taken away on a stretcher and it's unclear if he will be charged with any wrongdoing. His name was not released.The scaffolding, erected alongside the Health and Beauty Pharmacy, was cited last month by the Department of Buildings for not meeting safety code standards, officials said.

BY Benjamin Fractenberg and Jonathan Lemire DAILY NEWS WRITERS

Construction Accident Injures 11 In Harlem Pizzeria

Five people were hospitalized after a wall at a Harlem construction site fell into a next-door pizzeria Friday.

As workers poured concrete into an exterior wall at 270 West 123rd Street shortly after 3 p.m., the wall became so heavy that it fall into a next-door restaurant named Pizzeria 123.

Six customers and five pizzeria workers had minor injuries, but only five people sought medical treatment at St. Luke's Hospital.

Fire officials said a much bigger accident was averted.

"Luckily it wasn't heavily occupied at the time," said FDNY Deputy Chief Michael Mullins. "Could have been later in the day, could have had a lot of children involved. There were only approximately six or seven in the store at the time."

A 10-feet by 15-feet hole was left at the site of impact, and crews worked Friday evening to remove stray bricks and concrete.

"Where the hole is currently, that's a bearing wall," said Manhattan Councilwoman Inez Dickens. "So they have to be sure the support is there for the remaining floors of the building."

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer called for a full investigation of what went wrong at the construction site.

Department of Buildings officials were looking into the structural integrity of both buildings Friday, and issued a stop work order at the construction site.