Skyscraper falling glass injures three

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NEW YORK, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- Falling glass has injured three people, continuing a history of safety problems during construction of a New York skyscraper.

A 5-by-13-foot glass panel detached from the 51st floor of the Bank of America tower Tuesday, sending pedestrians and workers across W. 42nd Street scrambling. Two people were treated at the scene and a third was taken to the hospital, the New York Daily News reported.

City officials are investigating and have reportedly issued a stop-work order for the exterior of the $1 billion tower, which has been under construction since 2004, the newspaper report said. There have been five previous incidents of material falling from the construction site since 2006, including three involving falling glass.

Contractors have reportedly faced repeated fines for safety violations, including unsafe storage of materials near edges of the building, the Daily News said.