Falling Street Sign Knocks Boy, 6, Unconscious In Midtown As High Winds Whip Across Tri-State Area
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Wednesday's wild wind took down trees and knocked out power across parts of the Tri-State Area.
The strong gusts also whipped around flags and traffic lights, but the scariest moment happened in Midtown Manhattan where a six-year-old boy was knocked unconscious by a street sign that fell during 30 mile-per-hour gusts outside Madison Square Garden.
It happened at the corner of West 32nd St. and 7th Ave.
"I think it's terrible, absolutely terrible," Long Island resident Jennifer Prestano said. "I would be so upset if it was my child."
The boy was breathing when he was rushed to Bellevue Hospital. The same whipping winds blew banners off the side of buildings and damaged scaffolding. The Department of Buildings was on scene after heavy boards were blown and scattered onto the sidewalk at West 139th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue.
In New Jersey, more than 5,600 people lost power from wind damage there. The wind tipped over two PSE&G poles in Ridgewood, while trees and wires came crashing down in New Brunswick.
Winds continued to whip into Thursday morning.
Authorities say the boy who was struck by the falling sign was a tourist from Argentina. He suffered a nasty laceration to his head, but was expected to be alright.
