(NewsNation) — A New York City high-rise that caused evacuations Tuesday after bricks fell and columns buckled had been cited several times for safety violations over the past year, records show.
Between July and December 2025, the New York City Department of Buildings issued at least seven construction safety citations for violations at the 37-story Manhattan high-rise at 235 E. 42nd St., resulting in more than $32,000 in fines. The 1970s-era building was being converted into luxury apartments when the incident forced evacuations in and around the Midtown construction site.
The violations stemmed from situations involving falling debris and other construction-related safety hazards. The building was cited for failing to report “an incident that resulted in a fatality or injury,” provide protection for the public and property during construction operations and maintain proper communication during pre-shift safety meetings.
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The Fire Department of New York said it received a call just before 8 a.m. reporting bricks falling from the building. Officials added that floors 21 through 26 caved in, with multiple cracks and sagging floors reported throughout the structure.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters during a news conference that “the building remains unstable” and that officials had “witnessed additional movement in one of the compromised columns” since arriving on the scene.
Asked whether the building was at risk of collapse, Mamdani said first responders had found “structural issues with the building” and urged people in the area to “follow the instructions of those on the ground.”
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The FDNY said Second Avenue is closed and East 42nd Street was blocked as crews worked to secure the area. Tape was also placed on East 43rd Street, NewsNation local affiliate WPIX reported.
Among the evacuated buildings was a school with about 400 children, Mamdani said. There were no reported injuries, and all workers inside the building had been accounted for, he added.
NewsNation’s Taylor Delandro, Marcus Espinoza and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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