38 Story Building in Danger of Collapsing in NYC
LIVE COVERAGE: A Midtown Manhattan high-rise was evacuated Tuesday after authorities said falling bricks and buckling columns raised fears that the building could collapse. Watch videos from the scene below and click here to get my breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox.
The trouble unfolded at 235 East 42nd Street, the former Pfizer global headquarters, where crews have been converting the office tower into luxury apartments. The Associated Press reported that FDNY officials found two buckled columns on the 21st and 22nd floors, with floors sagging as high as the 26th floor. A nearby school with about 400 children was among the buildings evacuated.
One construction worker described the scene in chilling terms, telling the New York Post the I-beams were “bending like cigarettes.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said first responders discovered “structural issues with the building” and urged people in the area “to follow the instructions of those on the ground.”
“Our top priority right now,” the mayor said, “is the safety of those who live in this area and the safety of those who work in this area.”
No injuries were reported, and officials said all construction workers were accounted for as engineers inspected the building.