Li Ying Liang Killed in East Harlem, New York Scaffolding Collapse After Garbage Truck Crash on December 23, 2025

On December 23, 2025, Li Ying Liang, 75, was killed in East Harlem after scaffolding collapsed during a chain-reaction crash involving a private garbage truck. Police reported that a 47-year-old driver traveling north on First Avenue struck a parked and unattended Kia Forte near East 101st Street. The force of the collision pushed the vehicle onto the sidewalk and into sidewalk scaffolding surrounding a residential building. Approximately 80 feet of the structure fell, striking Liang as she stood beneath it. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The garbage truck driver and his 50-year-old passenger were transported to a local hospital in stable condition. Three additional individuals sustained minor injuries. The building did not suffer structural damage, according to city officials. The crash remains under investigation by the New York City Police Department Collision Investigation Squad. Neighbors described Liang as a familiar presence in the area, often tending to plants outside her building in the mornings. Her death has left a visible absence along the stretch of sidewalk she cared for daily.