A 38-story Midtown Manhattan office tower that is being converted to residential housing was evacuated this morning after two support beams on its upper floor buckled and several floors began to sag, causing bricks to fall from the building.
According to combined media reports, the property at 235 East 42nd Street between Second and Third Avenues was the former headquarters of Pfizer that is being converted into about 1,600 luxury apartments.
It’s unclear what caused the columns to buckle. New York Fire Department investigators said the floors between the 21st and 26th floors sagged from the pressure placed on them.
The site was evacuated and no injuries were reported. Neighboring buildings were also evacuated out of caution.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters at a press conference, “What they have found thus far is that there are structural issues with the building. I would say beyond that, just for those in the immediate area to follow the instructions of those on the ground, we have seen evacuations not only of the building but also surrounding buildings, as well as a nearby school. And I believe those actions are appropriate at this time.”
John Esposito, the chief of department at the Fire Department, warned the building will be off limits for the foreseeable future.
“It is still a serious and very dangerous situation,” Esposito said, adding there was a risk of a partial collapse. “It would not be a total collapse, it would be more of a localized collapse, but that remains our concern as we move.”
0 Comments