Manhattan high-rise is still unstable after columns buckle, forcing evacuations | National News

NEW YORK (AP) — An under-construction high-rise in Manhattan was still unstable Tuesday after buckling columns and sagging floors raised fears of a collapse, forcing the tower and other nearby buildings to evacuate, officials said.

The 1970s-era office building is being converted to luxury apartments, and is the former global headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. Initial reports of falling bricks at around 8 a.m. sent firefighters rushing to the busy corridor near Grand Central train station and the landmark Chrysler Building.

kAm}6H *@C< r:EJ @77:4:2=D H6C6 FD:?8 5C@?6D E@ >@?:E@C E96 3F:=5:?8 E@ 2G@:5 92G:?8 E@ D6?5 A6@A=6 :?D:56] p ?62C3J D49@@= E92E 92D c__ DEF56?ED H2D 2>@?8 E96 6G24F2E65 3F:=5:?8D[ |2J@C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^K@9C2?\>2>52?:Qm+@9C2? |2>52?:k^2m D2:5]k^Am

kAm“%96 3F:=5:?8 C6>2:?D F?DE23=6[” |2>52?: D2:5 2E 2 ?6HD 4@?76C6?46 2E E96 D46?6] “%9:D 😀 2? 6IEC6>6=J D6C:@FD D:EF2E:@?]”k^Am

kAmu:C6 r9:67 y@9? tDA@D:E@ D2:5 E96 H2J E96 DE66=\7C2>65 3F:=5:?8 😀 4@?DECF4E65[ “:E H@F=5 ?@E 36 2 E@E2= 4@==2AD6[ :E H@F=5 36 >@C6 @7 2 =@42=:K65 4@==2AD6]”k^Am

kAmp9>65 %:82?:[ E96 4:EJ’D 3F:=5:?8 4@>>:DD:@?6C[ D2:5 @77:4:2=D 925 ?@E D66? 6G:56?46 E92E 563C:D 76== @77 E96 3F:=5:?8] }6G6CE96=6DD[ ?62C3J DEC66ED C6>2:?65 4=@D65 E@ A6@A=6 2?5 G69:4=6D] |2>52?: D2:5 E96C6 H6C6 ?@ C6A@CED @7 :?;FC:6D]k^Am

kAm%96 @77:46\E@\C6D:56?E:2= 4@?G6CD:@? H@F=5 255 >@C6 E92? 2 5@K6? DE@C:6D 2?5 C656D:8? 2? 25;@:?:?8 E@H6C[ 244@C5:?8 E@ v6?D=6C[ E96 2C49:E64EFC2= 7:C> =625:?8 E96 AC@;64E] (:E9 >@C6 E92? `[e__ F?:ED[ :E 92D 366? 3:==65 2D E96 =2C86DE 4@?G6CD:@? 😕 E96 4:EJ’D 9:DE@CJ[ v6?D=6C D2JD]k^Am

kAmp DA@<6DA6CD@? 7@C v6?D=6C 5:5 ?@E C6EFC? 2 G@:46>2:= 2?5 6>2:= D66<:?8 4@>>6?E]k^Am

kAm~77:4:2=D 7@F?5 EH@ 4@=F>?D 925 3F4<=65 @? E96 a`DE 2?5 aa?5 7=@@CD 2?5 7=@@CD H6C6 D288:?8 36EH66? E96 a`DE 2?5 aeE9 7=@@CD]k^Am

kAmu:CDE C6DA@?56CD 2?5 4:EJ @77:4:2=D H6C6 H@C<:?8 4=@D6=J H:E9 E96 AC@;64E 6?8:?66C E@ 56G6=@A A=2?D E@ D9@C6 FA E96 :>A24E65 7=@@C:?8[ |2>52?: D2:5] x7 :EVD 566>65 E@ 36 D64FC6[ 6?8:?66CD H:== 6?E6C 2?5 368:? >2<:?8 C6A2:CD]k^Am

kAm“%9:D 😀 2 >:?FE6\3J\>:?FE6 2DD6DD>6?E[Q E96 >2J@C D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96 3F:=5:?8 4@>>:DD:@?6C D2:5 H@C<6CD H:== ?665 E@ 255 6>6C86?4J 362>D 2?5 4@=F>?D E@ DE23:=:K6 E96 4@>AC@>:D65 @?6D]k^Am

kAm“~FC E@A AC:@C:EJ C:89E ?@H[” E96 >2J@C D2:5 %F6D52J >@C?:?8[ “:D E96 D276EJ @7 E9@D6 H9@ =:G6 😕 E9:D 2C62 2?5 E96 D276EJ @7 E9@D6 H9@ H@C< 😕 E9:D 2C62]”k^Am

k9C ^m

kAm%9:D DE@CJ 92D 366? FA52E65 E@ 4@CC64E E92E 4:EJ @77:4:2=D C6G:D65 E96 3F:=5:?8’D 96:89E E@ bf DE@C:6D[ ?@E bg]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmxK28F:CC6 C6A@CE65 7C@> {:?56?9FCDE[ }6H *@C<]k^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.