A school in Manhattan, New York, was evacuated on Tuesday after bricks and columns from a nearby 37-storey tower block under construction tumbled onto the street below. The incident occurred during the morning rush hour, prompting a swift emergency response.
Building Instability Prompts Evacuation
Two structural support beams on the 21st and 22nd floors of the building at 235 East 42nd Street buckled, and floors between the 21st and 26th storeys were found to be sagging, according to officials. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) received reports of falling bricks at approximately 8 a.m. EDT (1 p.m. BST) and immediately dispatched emergency crews. Nearby streets were closed to both pedestrians and traffic as a precaution.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed that a school with about 400 pupils was evacuated. No injuries were reported, and all workers inside the building were accounted for, the mayor said during a press conference at the scene.
Engineers Assess Damage
Mamdani stated that engineers are working to shore up the damaged floors and are using drones to assess the structure without entering the building. "The building remains unstable," he said. "This is an extremely serious situation, and I am thankful to our first responders for quickly arriving at the site and to New Yorkers for reacting calmly, and with urgency." He added that stabilisation work would begin as soon as the building is deemed safe.
Fire Department Chief John Esposito noted that the building continued to move as emergency officials were at the scene. "It is not yet stable," he said. "It is still a very serious and dangerous situation."
Collapse Zone Established
The FDNY established a "collapse zone" as a precaution, and Mayor Mamdani announced a frozen zone in the area, with 40th to 45th streets closed between First and Third avenues. It is not yet clear when the area might reopen or when evacuees might be able to return to their homes.
Developer Metro Loft, which is converting the former global headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer into luxury apartments, said in a statement: "We are working closely with the Department of Buildings to understand the full scope of the situation. The safety of our workers and the public has always been, and remains, our top priority." The building is located about a block from the landmark Chrysler Building and between Grand Central Terminal and the United Nations headquarters.
