A 14-year-old boy was struck in the head by a heavy piece of concrete that fell from the façade of a commercial building on 82nd Street in Jackson Heights.
Photo courtesy of DOB
A teenager was seriously injured when a chunk of concrete fell from the façade on a two-story commercial building in Jackson Heights on Saturday.
The 14-year-old boy was walking with his parents past 37-54 82nd St. just after noon when a piece of the building’s parapet’s decorative terracotta became loose and fell from the rooftop, according to the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB).
The 30-pound slab of masonry struck the youngster on the left side of his head, knocking him unconscious. The FDNY responded to the location and found the teen where he fell with a deep laceration to his head. Ultimately, the teen was lucky when he was stuck by heavy concrete, as the falling chunk had its trajectory altered when it bounced off an awning above Salon Barber Essentials, slowing it down before striking the boy, which might have saved his life, according to officials.
Fortunately for the injured boy, the 30-pound piece of concrete bounced off the commercial establishment’s awning before striking the youngster. Photo courtesy of DOB
EMS rushed him to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was listed in serious but stable condition.
DOB inspectors were called to the scene to conduct a structural stability inspection following reports of an unstable façade. In the interest of public safety, DOB ordered that the building owner erect 80-linear feet of sidewalk shed around the property. The building owner was also issued a violation for failure to maintain the façade and ordered to enlist a professional engineer to submit a structural stability report to the DOB and a plan for immediate repairs.