Crane inspector suspended for neglect of duty

A SENIOR Department of Buildings crane inspector has been suspended after The Post notified the agency he had cleared several complaints last year that claimed unqualified operators were working in the industry and that some of their licenses were fraudulent.

CRANE INSPECTOR SLAPPED AFTER POST PROBE

The complaints were filed via the city's 311 hot line a year before two cranes collapsed on the East Side, taking nine lives.

Records show that Michael Carbone, chief inspector for the DOB's emergency-response team, closed at least five of the complaints as "not valid," "unjustified" or as a "licensing issue" not requiring emergency action.

"Michael Carbone has been suspended for 30 days without pay for neglect of duty," said a DOB spokesman. "Because of the ongoing investigation, I can't comment further."

The Post found the complaints in the DOB database, which is available on the Internet, while researching a story on an unrelated matter.