Last Friday's tragic crane collapse on Manhattan's Upper East Side took place while Mayor Michael Bloomberg was on-air doing his weekly radio show.
According to his aides, Bloomberg turns his cell phone off while doing the show. He learned about the crash during a break when he saw it on a TV monitor. He decided to continue the interview. After the show, he went to City Hall to gather information and then went to the scene.
While other mayors might have acted differently, Bloomberg's response was reasonable. The FDNY, NYPD and city Office of Emergency Management were at the site doing everything possible. They focused on searching for possible victims. A grandstanding mayor might only get in the way.
But this was not enough for City Councilman Tony Avella, who said the mayor's decision to continue the interview “reflects his cavalier attitude about things happening in this city.”
Even by Avella's standards, this a cheap shot. The mayor demonstrated his concern and anger over the rash of construction accidents. He even fired the buildings commissioner after the march crane collapse. The acting commissioner threatened to stop all city construction if there is another accident. City Hall's response has been anything but cavalier.
