New York City police are investigating a horrifying chain-reaction crash after a garbage truck lost control in East Harlem, triggering a deadly scaffolding collapse that killed a longtime neighborhood resident and injured three others.
The violent crash unfolded just after 6:30 a.m. Tuesday on First Avenue near East 101st Street. Surveillance video shows the garbage truck barreling down the avenue before smashing into several vehicles along the way.
Investigators say the truck slammed into an unoccupied Kia Forte parked at the intersection, sending the car flying over the curb and straight into scaffolding outside a NYCHA building at 345 E. 101st Street. Moments later, the scaffolding collapsed onto the sidewalk below.
“It looked like a massacre, like a movie,” one stunned witness, Timothy Manley, said.
Underneath that scaffolding was 75-year-old Li Liang, who police say was killed instantly when the structure came crashing down. Building superintendent Vincent Medina said Liang lived in the building with her husband and was well known in the community.
“Her daughter came to me saying, ‘Tell me that’s not my mom. Tell me that’s not my mom,’” Medina recalled.
Neighbors described Liang as a gentle presence on the block. Jose Martin, who works nearby, said she was part of the neighborhood’s daily rhythm.
“You’d see her every morning going to the fire hydrant to get water to feed the plants,” Martin said. “It just sucks. She was someone who cared.”
Another witness, Jacqueline Bryant, echoed the sentiment. “She was mad nice. A sweet lady,” she said.
Three other people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries, including another pedestrian, the 47-year-old garbage truck driver, and a 50-year-old passenger riding in the truck. All have since been released.
Tow trucks later hauled away multiple vehicles that were left mangled and totaled by the crash. The city’s Department of Buildings also responded to assess the structural safety of the NYCHA building after the scaffolding failure.
According to the Metro North Plaza Tenant Association, the scaffolding had been replaced about three months ago after new management took over the building. It was reportedly installed to protect against potential facade issues.
The garbage truck involved in the crash is owned by Classic Recycling, a New Jersey-based waste management company that operates in the New York City area. In a statement, a company spokesperson said they are continuing to gather information and could not provide additional details at this time.
Police say it is still unclear whether the crash was caused by weather conditions, mechanical failure, or human error. No arrests have been made and no charges have been filed as the investigation continues.