A man sustained serious injuries after piles of concrete fell from the facade of a Crown Heights supermarket and struck him in the head on Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.
Shoppers were walking along the sidewalk past Idea Supermarket at 1412 St. John’s Pl. near Utica Avenue when the building’s 500-pound cornice broke loose from the brick building and toppled to the ground at around 3:30 pm.
One falling brick struck the 39-year-old passerby in the head, fracturing his skull and injuring his ribs and shoulder, his wife told NBC.
First responders rushed the victim to Kings County Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, fire officials said.
Authorities on the scene closed off the area to pedestrians and requested the Department of Buildings conduct an investigation into any further potential collapse hazards.
Following the incident, officials implemented a partial vacate order for the two-story structure — whose facade may be up to a century old. DOB reps said the building will most likely require a sidewalk shed to safeguard the public from any additional falling debris.
This story first appeared on AMNY.com.
