First published 11:27 a.m.: A demolition worker was killed Friday morning after the ceiling collapsed at a Midtown building under construction, according to news reports.
Morris Moinian’s Fortuna Realty Group, in partnership with Starwood Hotel & Resorts, is developing a 27-story, 180-key hotel known as the Aloft New York Midtown at the property, at 25 West 38th Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues. The interior of the current five-story structure on the site collapsed around 10:30 a.m., reports said.
Another worker was trapped under the rubble, but was rescued and taken to Bellevue Hospital about three and a half hours after the collapse, according to the NYPD. The workers on the site were affiliated with Northeast Interiors Specialist.
“We are very saddened to hear media reports of the accident, and our thoughts are with the family of the worker who was reported to have lost his life and with workers who were injured,” a spokesperson for Starwood told AM New York in a statement. “While this is a site for a future Aloft hotel, we are not involved at this stage and any questions should be directed to the developer, Fortuna Realty Group.”
A representative for Fortuna could not be reached for comment. [CBS, DNAinfo, NYP and AMNY] — Mark Maurer
This story continues to develop.