Well, this is swell. Every now and then our fair city will harness its freak powers and make something explode or implode or crash and basically scare the shit out of us. Well, enjoy your next trip under scaffolding. Update!

Via Foursquare founder Dennis Crowley and and Neighborhoodr: apparently, there were/are two taxis underneath that mess. Police and firemen are on the scene.

Scaffolding collapses don't happen so often in New York, but they definitely do happen enough to make you want to walk a little more briskly under it if you have to; this scaffolding (right in front of The Gap, which it apparently wanted to fall into) is in a snazzy location that sees lots of tourists. It's essentially next to a subway stop, too.

So: enjoy your Monday commute! In fear.

Update: New York Post reporter Justin Rocket Silverman Twitters:

Two taxis crash, spin, and bring down and a scaffolding on Broadway and 8th. Mailbox is down too. Ouch!

Oh, even better. Dueling taxis making scaffolding collapse. Remind me when Astor Place-ish became Death Race 3000? Super.

[Top image by Jesse Chan-Norris.]