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NEW YORK, Oct 17 (Reuters) - A crane dropped a container of debris from the 53rd floor of a signature skyscraper under construction a block from Times Square on Wednesday, injuring seven people, authorities said.

Shattered glass and debris showered down on Sixth Avenue and 43rd Street in one of the busiest areas of Manhattan at abut 1 p.m. (1700 GMT), forcing authorities to close several streets. The container and its contents hit the building several times as it fell.

Richard Kielar, spokesman for Tishman Construction Corp, the construction manager for the Bank of America <BAC.N> tower, said four construction workers and three pedestrians were treated for minor injuries.

The falling container bent part of the tower holding up the crane, Kielar said. An engineer would inspect it to ensure the crane was stable, he said, and that Sixth Avenue would likely remain closed during the evening rush hour.

Company executive William Neary, 64, was stopped at a red light outside the building. A piece of debris smashed the glass sunroof on his car and bounced off.

"All the debris started falling down and all I did was say, 'Jesus help me,'" he said.

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