High-Rise at Risk of 'Collapse' After Columns Buckle Mid-Build

Big Tower, Big Problem

A New York high-rise under construction has sparked evacuations after interior columns buckled and floors started sagging between the 21st and 26th floors. The building, a former Pfizer headquarters in Manhattan, is being converted from commercial offices into luxury apartments but things went sideways after damage was found inside the structure.

See The Damage:

Streets Shut, Buildings Cleared

Firefighters were called to East 42nd Street around 8am after reports of falling bricks, though officials later said they had not found evidence anything had come off the building. Nearby streets and buildings were evacuated, including a school and the Israeli consulate across the road, as authorities treated the site as unstable.

Not a Full Collapse, But Still Serious

New York Fire Department chief John Esposito said the steel-framed building was unlikely to suffer a total collapse, but warned it could face a localised collapse. Photos from the fire department showed at least one badly bent interior column visible from street level, with officials also finding cracks and sagging floors across several levels.

Engineers Going Floor By Floor

Emergency crews, city officials and the project engineer are now assessing the building floor by floor before deciding how to reinforce it. The city’s building commissioner said emergency beams and columns would likely be needed to stabilise the damaged parts before engineers can safely get in and start repairs.

Historic Conversion Hits Trouble & Saftety Concerns Brought Up

The project is being billed by developers as the largest office-to-residential conversion in New York City’s history, with more than 1,600 units planned. The site has also previously been fined for safety violations, including glass and metal falling from the building and a worker falling from a ladder. MetroLoft, the developer, reportedly said the building itself was not at risk of collapse and that no debris had fallen.