Several NYC buildings evacuated as officials warn of possible collapse due to buckling beams
At least 9 buildings have been evacuated in Midtown, including a school and a hotel.
NEW YORK -- Several floors of a Midtown Manhattan office building that's under construction are caving in on Tuesday, prompting the evacuation of several adjacent buildings and street closures.
Officials said they are working to make sure the building and surrounding structures are safe.
The high-rise, at 235 E. 42nd St., is on the corner of East 42nd Street and Second Avenue and is the former headquarters of the Pfizer pharmaceutical company and is under conversion to residential use.
Around 8 a.m., construction workers noticed cracks inside the building. The FDNY say the workers spotted structural support beams beginning to buckle on the 21st and 22nd floors and self-evacuated.
Officials say that caused the 21st to 26th floors of the building to start caving under the stress.
Multiple buildings have been evacuated, including a hotel and a school.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani advised anyone in the area to follow the instructions of first responders on the ground.
"Now luckily there have been no injuries to report at this time, all workers are accounted for, the building has been evacuated, a number of tall buildings in the area are also being evacuated at this time, a school with about 400 children has also been evacuated," Mamdani said.
The FDNY said the following buildings have been evacuated:
- 815 Second Avenue
- 235 East 42nd Street
- 210 East 43rd Street
- 212 East 43rd Street
- 211 East 43rd Street
- 231 East 43rd Street
- 225 East 43rd Street
- 235 East 43rd Street
Of the evacuated buildings, 231 East 43rd Street is the Hampton Inn Manhattan Grand Central, and guests have been evacuated out of their rooms.
Pedestrian and vehicular traffic is closed on East 42nd Street between Second and Third avenues.
Second Avenue is closed from 38th to 44th streets and 43rd and 44th streets are closed between Second and Third avenues.
The 38-story building is currently the largest office to apartment conversion in city history.
When completed, the building will house 1,600 apartments, including over 400 affordable housing units.
No injuries have been reported and all workers are accounted for.
DOB inspectors and engineers are on site working quickly to secure the site, as well as that surrounding area, according to officials.
The investigation remains ongoing.
