Manhattan High-Rise Evacuated After Support Beams Buckle During Renovation

NEW YORK — A Midtown Manhattan high-rise was evacuated Tuesday after construction workers discovered structural support problems, including discovered structural support problems, including buckling columns and falling debris, prompting officials to clear nearby buildings as a precaution.

The emergency unfolded at 235 East 42nd Street, a 38-story building that formerly served as the global headquarters of pharmaceutical company Pfizer and is being converted into a luxury residential complex. Fire officials said they received reports of bricks falling from the building around 8 a.m., leading crews to investigate concerns about the structure’s stability.

Construction workers reported that structural supports on upper floors had begun to buckle, and officials later found signs of movement inside the building. Floors between roughly the 21st and 26th stories were reported to be sagging, increasing concerns about a possible collapse.

Emergency crews from the New York City Fire Department, police and building inspectors responded to the scene and established a safety perimeter around the area. Several surrounding buildings were evacuated, including a nearby school with about 400 children, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Officials said no injuries were reported and all workers inside the building were accounted for. Streets surrounding the site were closed while engineers assessed the condition of the structure and determined what caused the supports to fail.

The building was in the middle of one of New York City’s largest office-to-residential conversion projects, with plans to transform the former commercial tower into hundreds of apartments. The investigation into whether construction activity contributed to the structural issues remained ongoing.

Authorities urged residents and commuters to avoid the area while inspections continued. Officials said additional updates would be provided as engineers evaluated whether the building could be stabilized and when nearby properties could safely reopen.

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