A chaotic scene unfolded late Monday afternoon near Penn Station when a vehicle jumped the curb and struck multiple pedestrians on the sidewalk along 8th Avenue near West 30th Street.
NYPD officers and emergency crews at the scene of Monday’s crash near 8th Avenue and W30th Street. Photo: Phil O’Brien
Police said the crash happened around 4pm on the southeast corner of 8th Avenue and W30th Street, close to Madison Square Garden. Ten people were taken to local hospitals by multiple ambulances, with initial reports indicating none of the injuries were life-threatening.
At the scene, a Ryder box truck sat in the middle of 8th Avenue with its windshield shattered and front end heavily damaged. On the south side of the intersection, a white van belonging to Maugeri Electric Corp appeared to have been struck from behind, its rear crushed and front hood crumpled. Witnesses told W42ST that the van had been pulled from the sidewalk following the collision.
An NYPD Bomb Squad truck briefly responded to the incident after early uncertainty about the cause of the crash. Officers inspected both vehicles but left after about 15 minutes, with police confirming there was no indication of explosives or other suspicious materials.
The driver of the Ryder truck remained on the scene, and police closed 8th Avenue to traffic between 27th and 30th Streets as emergency crews and investigators worked.
An NYPD Bomb Squad truck briefly responded to the incident. Photo: Phil O’Brien
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether the collision was accidental or criminal in nature.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Publisher & Editor Phil O’Brien is an entrepreneur and journalist. As an international photojournalist, he photographed Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Princess Diana and many others. He built a successful international sports photography agency, EMPICS, that was Getty Images’ major competitor in Europe when it sold. He founded a children’s charity in the UK that has helped young people through sport for over 15 years. Phil has lived in New York since 2012. He founded W42ST in 2014.