Evacuations and road closures were ordered in New York City after a Manhattan high-rise building was deemed unstable due to buckled interior columns and sagging floors. The building, formerly the headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, is located along East 42nd Street between Second and Third Avenues.
The damage was uncovered during the building's conversion into luxury apartments, raising fears of a potential collapse. Firefighters responded around 8 a.m. local time after reports of falling bricks. However, city officials, including Building Commissioner Ahmed Tigani, reported no evidence that debris had fallen from the building.
New York Fire Department Chief John Esposito stated that, given the steel-framed construction, "it would not be a total collapse, it would be more of a localised collapse."
Emergency workers are conducting a floor-by-floor assessment to finalize plans for reinforcing the structure. Leila Bozorg, a deputy mayor, described the ongoing evaluation as "encouraging."
Mayor Zohran Mamdani emphasized that "our top priority right now is the safety of those who live in this area and the safety of those who work in this area." He also noted that first responders and city officials are collaborating closely with the project engineer to develop plans to shore up the impacted flooring.
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