NYPD: 2 construction workers dead after crane accident in Queens

Two construction workers were killed on Tuesday in the New York City borough of Queens after they were crushed by a beam they were hoisting, local media outlets reported.

The workers were using a crane to lift the I-beam when it snagged on a part of the building structure, DNAinfo reported, citing a fire department spokesman and construction company employee.

The cable holding the beam then gave way, causing it to crash into the crane cab before falling onto the ground. Both the cab operator and the worker who had been holding the tether line were pronounced dead upon arrival.

Photos of the scene posted to social media by the New York Police Department and FDNY show the collapsed beam lying horizontally, with one end still embedded in the top of the crane cab.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said during a press conference it's unclear whether the cause of the accident was mechanical or human error.

The Department of Buildings is investigating the incident, the New York Daily News reported.