Arrest Inspector For False Entry On Fatal Crane

By ARI PAUL

A Buildings Inspector has been arrested for falsely claiming that he inspected the crane that collapsed March 15 on East 51st St. in Manhattan, killing seven people, the Department of Investigation announced March 20.

PATRICIA LANCASTER: Excoriates Inspector.

Department of Buildings Inspector Edward Marquette allegedly made a false entry March 4 indicating that he had inspected the crane when he had not, according to DOI. The Manhattan District Attorney is charging him with Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree and Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree. He faces four years in prison if he is convicted.

Prior to the collapse, the DOB received a complaint that the crane did not seem to be secure. The agency's records showed that Mr. Marquette inspected the crane and found no problems. On March 19, the DOI asserted that Mr. Marquette's logs had been tampered with and he later said that he did not, in fact, inspect the crane, the DOI said.

'Behavior Reprehensible'

"Based on the preliminary findings of the ongoing investigation, it is unlikely that a March 4 inspection would have prevented this horrific accident, which we continue to believe was caused by human or mechanical error during the crane jumping operation on March 15," said DOB Commissioner Patricia J. Lancaster in a statement, "Regardless, Edward Marquette's behavior is reprehensible. Today I suspended Edward Marquette and I support the most aggressive prosecution possible."

Ms. Lancaster ordered a complete re-inspection of all of the machines Mr. Marquette had inspected in the last six months and asked DOI to review all of his inspection reports from the last six months.

"Crane inspectors are entrusted by the city with ensuring that cranes are operated in a way that does not compromise the safety of construction workers or the public," DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn said in a statement. "This inspector allegedly betrayed that trust at the most fundamental level by not doing an inspection assigned to him and then making a false record indicating that he did."

Councilwoman Jessica Lappin, who represents the area affected, said in a statement that she was "beyond outraged" by the news of the false inspection reports.

'Losing Faith in Agency'

"A constituent of mine called to complain about a dangerous situation, but this Inspector was allegedly too lazy to do his job, and as a result people may have died," she said. "When such a basic level of government fails, it is not just an internal bureaucratic problem. The Department of Buildings owes it to all New Yorkers to ensure that this will never happen again; an incident like this makes it difficult to have faith in the agency."