New York City high-rise building evacuated over safety, stability concerns

A high-rise building in Manhattan was evacuated Tuesday after officials warned it was at risk of a localized collapse amid reports of falling bricks inside the 37-story building.

The New York Fire Department said they received a call shortly before 8 a.m. Eastern Time about falling bricks at 235 East 42nd Street, located near Grand Central Terminal, though officials later said there was no evidence of any fallen bricks, according to Fox News. 

The fire department said the building was sagging between the 21st and 26th floors and that two columns have buckled between the 21st and 22nd floors. No injuries have been reported and all construction workers at the building got out safely.

The building, which housed Pfizer until 2018, is in the process of being converted into an apartment complex with more than 1,600 units, which is expected to be completed in 2027. 

New York City Mayor Mamdani later told reporters at a press conference near the building that the structure "remains unstable" and residents should stay away from the area. 

"Since arriving on scene, we have witnessed additional movement in one of the compromised columns," Mamdani 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."

Six other buildings nearby were evacuated as a precaution, including a school with about 400 children inside.

City officials said they have used specialized tools to watch the building, which lets them see whether the building is moving, even in centimeters or fractions of an inch, and they have seen the building continuously move.

Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said the department has launched an investigation to figure out the cause of the movement. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.