Buckled Columns Force Midtown Evacuations, Street Closures

A Midtown Manhattan construction site remained unstable Tuesday after two columns buckled inside a 37-story building, forcing evacuations and street closures, city officials said.

FDNY received a 911 call at 7:57 a.m. for 235 East 42nd Street, where callers reported bricks falling from upper floors, Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said during a briefing published by the NYC Mayor’s Office.

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani said first responders found structural issues on the 21st floor of the building, which has active permits to convert it from commercial office use to residential use.

Two structural columns had buckled, and officials found multiple cracks and sagging floors, Mamdani said. He said crews had also seen additional movement in one compromised column.

No injuries were reported, and all workers were accounted for, Mamdani said.

Bonsignore said FDNY had 150 fire and EMS personnel and more than 50 units at the scene. Firefighters evacuated the building and surrounding areas and established a collapse zone.

Chief John Esposito, chief of department for FDNY, said firefighters entered the building to search it and stayed in contact with construction crews.

“It’s a very serious situation,” Esposito said. “The box beams — the steel beams, have started to bend and deflect from the weight.”

NYPD created a frozen zone from 40th to 45th streets between First and Third avenues, Mamdani said. Officers closed the streets to pedestrians and vehicles and moved more police into the area.

Mamdani said seven surrounding buildings were evacuated. He urged New Yorkers to avoid the area until officials determine it is safe.

Ahmed Tigani, commissioner of the Department of Buildings, said DOB inspectors and engineers were monitoring the building from the street and from nearby vantage points.

Tigani said crews could not go inside until officials were satisfied the building was safe enough to enter. Once inside, he said, workers will deploy a plan to shore up the 21st floor and search for other weak points.

Mamdani said DOB engineers were using FDNY drones while waiting for materials to stabilize the building.

Esposito said crews had detected continued movement using specialized tools.

“It does mean that it is not yet stable. It is still a very serious and dangerous situation.” — Chief John Esposito

Tigani said the initial report involved bricks falling, but officials did not see evidence of falling material when they arrived.

Tigani said the office-to-residential conversion went through DOB plan review over the past two years. He said investigators had not determined what caused the structural problem.

Tigani said the building has 37 floors, with an 11-floor addition above a 22-floor section. He said the extension had topped out.

Asked whether the building was leaning and whether officials feared an internal or street collapse, Esposito said the steel-frame construction made a total collapse unlikely.

“It would be more of a localized collapse,” Esposito said. “But that remains our concern, that it’s moving.”

Tigani said crews would use emergency struts, beams and columns to take on the load from the damaged area. He said workers may add extra supports if they find cracks or weakened sections.

Asked about a union representative’s allegation that corners had been cut, Mamdani said DOB was investigating what led to the structural failure.

“Our focus right now is on making sure that this site is safe, this building is safe, this neighborhood is safe,” Mamdani said.