Crash in Chinatown Kills One, Injures Four; Third Death in Past Year
Many wonder what could have been done to prevent a fatal accident that occurred on Sept. 10 at 10:20 a.m. in Chinatown, marking the third traffic-related death in the past year.
| 11 Sep 2026 | 06:48
The 2001 Chevrolet 3500 Flat Bed that caused the tragic crash is parked in the road and sectioned off with a gate and blue tape. (
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The front of the 2001 Chevrolet 3500 Flat Bed’s windshield is seen smashed on 94 Bowery after a fatal collision with nearby pedestrians and another vehicle. (
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Two police officers sit parked in NYPD police cars and block off the lane after a deadly crash. (
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In a tragic scene on the border of Chinatown and Little Italy, a flat-bed truck laded with wooden pallets jumped a curb and killed one man, while injuring four others before crashing.
It is the third fatal crash in the area in the past year, according to City Council member Christopher Marte who is calling on the Department of Transportation to take immediate action on the dangerous stretch off the Manhattan Bridge.
The Daily News reported that the truck had “leaking break lines and low brake fluid.” The report also said that the driver of the truck was issued “several criminal court summonses, which included having low brake fluid, brake fluid from leaking from his break lines, and inoperable left and right brake lines.” The driver told police that “his brakes had failed just before the crash,” according to the report, which cited a police source. A police spokesperson had not confirmed the report to Our Town Downtown.
The problem with fatal crashes in the Manhattan Bridge/Canal Street area is a long term one especially for senior citizens, according to Transportation Alternatives, a bike advocacy group which called Canal Street “one of the most dangerous streets in Manhattan.”
“Ten pedestrians have been killed on Canal Street since 2014, with an average age of 75. Every year for seven straight years, at least one New Yorker has been killed on Canal Street.”
In the latest incident, police said a 2001 Chevrolet 3500 Flat Bed which was operated by a 66-year-old man, had just left the Manhattan Bridge Exit Ramp near a major intersection on Canal Street. As the vehicle moved over the Manhattan Bridge, it struck a “52-year-old female, a 71-year-old female and 77-year-old male pedestrians.”
The second collision happened in quick succession on 94 Bowery when the truck struck a 2015 Dodge Ram van with a 47-year-old male and 32-year-old male passenger inside. The truck ended up at Bowery and Hester Street after spinning out of control. “The operator failed to navigate the roadway and mounted the curb,” according to the NYPD.
A worker at the nearby Bowery Day Spa described hearing a very loud bang outside at around 10:30 a.m. “I was outside and I heard a very loud noise. The tire broke. The truck just very slowly slid down the street and then stopped over there at the sidewalk,” he said.
In a statement provided by the NYPD, “all victims were transported to NYC Health + Hospitals / Bellevue.” A 77-year-old man indentified as Ye Ting Yung was killed. The other victims are in stable condition.
“It is an outrage that another life has been lost on Canal Street due to the apathy of the Department of Transportation and the neglect of City Hall,” said district 1 City Council Member Christopher Marte, whose district includes the crash scene.
“During a week that is already heavy with commemorations and mourning, now anew family will have to bear a devastating loss,” he continued. “The Department of Transportation has been inching forward with a plan to fix Canal Street, but starting at its least fatal end. A comprehensive plan should come with comprehensive action that will save the lives of our neighbors, not prioritize one community over another.
“This is the third life lost in just over a year. These people are not statistics, they are beloved by their family and friends. Chinatown has suffered for too long, and I hope that this administration can honor these lives through swift action before Canal Street claims another life.”
Marte is referring to the fact that the need for changes along Canal Street to improve safety for pedestrians has long been in the works. It has been considered one of the city’s most dangerous intersections. Some ideas to improve the intersection include adding wider sidewalks, reducing the 35 mph speed limit on the Manhattan Bridge, and adding more safety infrastructure. A design overhaul to protect pedestrians and reduce foot traffic has also been in the works.
“Canal Street is one of the most dangerous streets in Manhattan,” said Transportation Alternatives. “Ten pedestrians have been killed on Canal since 2014, with an average age of 75. Every year for seven straight years, at least one New Yorker has been killed on Canal Street.”
There are no arrests at this time. The NYPD Our Town Downtown that “the investigation remains ongoing by the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad.”
Transportation Alternatives for safe streets said that “Canal Street is one of the most dangerous streets in Manhattan. Ten pedestrians have been killed on Canal since 2014, with an average age of 75. Every year for seven straight years, at least one New Yorker has been killed on Canal Street.”