A 37-story tower in central Manhattan is at risk of partial collapse after two steel load-bearing columns buckled during Tuesday morning rush hour, prompting mass evacuations. The Fire Department of New York received reports of falling bricks and debris around 8 a.m.
Authorities evacuated the building along with nine surrounding structures and a nearby school with approximately 400 students. Pedestrian and vehicle traffic has been rerouted around East 42nd Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. The tower remained unstable with columns still shifting by several centimeters in recent hours, though fire officials said a full collapse is unlikely. No injuries have been reported and all construction workers were accounted for.
The former Pfizer global headquarters has been undergoing conversion into more than 1,600 luxury apartments since 2024.