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Midtown Streets Reopening, Evacuees Returning With Dangling Crane Secured

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- West 57th Street in Midtown has reopened to pedestrian traffic, with the crane that collapsed during Superstorm Sandy now secured.

Residents who were evacuated when the crane collapsed Monday afternoon are also being allowed back in. Vehicular traffic was also set to open nearby.

Buildings Department spokesman Tony Sclafani said Sunday the operation to secure the boom of the tower crane at the top of the One57 luxury condo tower was complete.

He said all streets in the area were set to be reopened, except for lanes on the north side of 57th Street, between Sixth and Seventh avenues.

Sclafani says some buildings may not have utilities at this point and need to be turned on.

The call came in around 2:30 p.m. Monday at the One57, which is under construction at 157 W. 57th St. The top of the crane, about 75 stories up, could be seen dangling precariously down from next to the luxury building.

The city could not send up any engineers or fire inspectors until winds died down, but inspectors did go up and secure the crane on Saturday morning.

Some neighboring buildings were evacuated, including a hotel with 900 guests.

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(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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