Pair face charges over New York crane collapse

A tower crane rental company owner in New York City, USA and a former employee have been charged with criminally negligent homicide and manslaughter following a crane collapse where two people died in 2008.

James Lomma, owner of New York Crane and JF Lomma, Inc., and Tibor Varganyi, a former mechanic at New York Crane, were indicted, along with the two companies by the Manhattan District Attorney.

The charges also include assault and reckless endangerment following the New York City crane collapse in which a weld failed in the area of the slew ring. This caused the crane's cab, boom, and other upper sections to fall about 200 feet (60 m) to the ground. The crane operator and a worker at ground level were killed. A third worker at the site was seriously injured.