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A high-rise under construction in New York City and nearby buildings have been evacuated after structural columns buckled on the 21st floor of the 33-story building, sending bricks falling onto the street below, according to the fire department.
Inspectors also found multiple cracks and sagging floors on the building’s 21st floor.
No injuries were reported and all workers were accounted for, the FDNY said, adding that nearby buildings in Midtown Manhattan were being evacuated as a precaution.
Most of 42nd and 43rd Streets, between 1st and 3rd Avenues, have been closed to pedestrians and vehicles.
A nearby school with about 400 children was also evacuated, according to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
“All of this is a reflection of the fact that our top priority right now is the safety of those who live in this area, the safety of those who work in this area,” Mamdani said, adding that the city’s Department of Buildings inspectors and engineers “are on site working quickly to secure the site.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
