The popular Le Parker Meridien Hotel located in Midtown Manhattan suffered damage to its café, known as The Knave when a construction accident caused a flow of wet concrete to flood the floor.
Witnesses on the scene describe hearing a cracking sound that became louder. They say they got up to run out of the café. As the place cleared, the wall of the Knave café broke through and flooded the area with wet cement being used on the construction site next door. Authorities say that the debris and cement was contained within the café and no one was injured and the FDNY was called to the scene.
The construction accident occurred as workers were pouring concrete onto the fifth floor of the new building located next door to the hotel. The frame which was built to keep the concrete in place collapsed, sending the wet concrete down to the first floor which caused the wall of the café to break down.
The construction company working next to the hotel is Hunter Roberts Construction Group and they have not commented on the accident. As for the hotel itself, spokespeople for the Le Parker Meridien said the main lobby which encompasses from 56th to 57th street was not harmed by the concrete flood.
Construction and emergency workers had to react fast to the flood before the concrete completely hardened. In the hours following the flood, workers were still on site taking away pieces of concrete from the hotel lobby in wheelbarrows. The 57th Street hotel entrance was closed during the cleanup.
