The injured plaintiff, an employee of the third-party defendant Metal Sales Co., Inc. (hereinafter Metal Sales), was injured
“[A] party seeking contractual indemnification must prove itself free from negligence, because to the extent its negligence contributed to the accident, it cannot be indemnified therefor” (Cava Constr. Co., Inc. v Gealtec Remodeling Corp., 58 AD3d 660, 662 [2009]; see General Obligations Law § 5-322.1; Hirsch v Blake Hous., LLC, 65 AD3d 570, 571 [2009]). Since the plaintiffs allege that the injured plaintiffs fall was caused by the presence of a waste pipe at the work site and inadequate lighting, the injured plaintiffs injuries stem not from the manner in which the work was being performed, but, rather, from a dangerous condition on the premises (see Hirsch v Blake Hous., LLC, 65 AD3d at 571; Lane v Fratello Constr. Co., 52 AD3d 575, 576 [2008]; Keating v Nanuet Bd. of Educ., 40 AD3d 706, 708-
However, because S&C’s negligence, if any, cannot be determined as a matter of law, and there has been no finding that S&C was actually negligent, the Supreme Court erred in granting that branch of Metal Sales’ cross motion which was for summary judgment dismissing S&C’s cross claim for contractual indemnification insofar as asserted against it (see Itri Brick & Concrete Corp. v Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co., 89 NY2d 786, 795 [1997]; Brown v Two Exch. Plaza Partners, 76 NY2d 172, 179 [1990]; Keating v Nanuet Bd. of Educ., 40 AD3d at 708). Dillon, J.P., Santucci, Florio and Hall, JJ., concur.
