Manhattan skyscraper evacuated after beams buckle and bricks rain onto street

Bricks and columns rained onto a Manhattan street during Tuesday morning's rush hour, forcing the evacuation of a school with 400 pupils and triggering fears of a partial collapse in the heart of Midtown. The 37-storey tower block at 235 East 42nd Street – the former global headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, now being converted into luxury apartments – became unstable after two structural support beams on the 21st and 22nd floors buckled, officials said. Firefighters found floors sagging between the 21st and 26th storeys.

The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) was called at around 8am EDT (1pm BST) after bricks fell from the building under construction. Nearby streets were closed to pedestrians and traffic, and a "collapse zone" was established as a precaution. Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a frozen zone between 40th and 45th streets, from 1st to 3rd avenues, and said engineers are using drones to inspect the structure instead of sending people inside. "The building remains unstable," Mamdani said. "This is an extremely serious situation."

“NYC skyscraper evacuated after bricks fall and beams buckle; school with 400 pupils cleared.”

Fire Department Chief John Esposito said the building has continued to move while emergency services have been at the scene. "It is not yet stable," he said. "It is still a very serious and dangerous situation." No injuries were reported and all workers inside were accounted for. The developer, Metro Loft, said in a statement: "We are working closely with the Department of Buildings to understand the full scope of the situation. The safety of our workers and the public has always been, and remains, our top priority."

Mamdani said stabilisation work will begin as soon as the building is deemed safe. It remains unclear when the evacuated area will reopen or when residents will be allowed to return to their homes. The incident took place about a block from the landmark Chrysler Building and between Grand Central Terminal and the United Nations headquarters, raising fears of disruption to one of New York's busiest districts.