Several wooden decking panels on the upriver side of the bridge were cracked when the machine was driven onto the bridge. A metal handrail on the St Patrick's Quay side of the bridge was also damaged during the incident. Some of the metal decking panels fell into the river, leaving a gaping hole in the floor of the bridge.
Smoke filled the third floor of 481 Van Brunt Street at 11:35pm on September 17 before the fire spread to the roof, forcing more than 250 firefighters, EMS responders, and a marine fire boat dispatched to the Red Hook waterfront to tame the blaze. New York Fire Department (FDNY) officials said they believe the building was unoccupied at the time. Two firefighters sustained minor injuries.