On Friday, August 26th, workers at the World Trade Center construction site began dismantling and securing 10 tower cranes before Hurricane Irene made it’s appearance in the city to avoid crane accidents at the construction site. All construction work at the World Trade Center and throughout New York City was ordered to stop during Hurricane Irene to prevent construction accidents. While most of the concern in the city was due to flooding, the tower cranes were dismantled or secured due to concerns with high winds.
The tower is currently 90 stories high. The cranes were secured with cables to prevent being tipped over by hurricane winds; or left to swing freely depending on where they were located and if anything was in the path to be damaged as the crane swung from wind.
After the storm passed through the city, the National September 11 Memorial & Museum released a Twitter update informing everyone the site did not experience much flooding and the trees and cranes had made it through safely. Near the site, the New York Harbor water reached the sidewalk at Battery Park, the promenade was partially underwater, and flood waters went over the marina wall in front of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The World Trade Center memorial site is scheduled for opening in just two weeks – for the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
