Multiple floors of the former Pfizer headquarters, which is under construction to be converted into 1,600 residential apartments, started caving in on Tuesday, prompting street closures and evacuations of nearby buildings.
The building is reported as being unstable and at risk of collapse.
“Around 8 a.m., construction workers noticed cracks inside the building. The FDNY say the workers spotted structural support beams beginning to buckle on the 21st and 22nd floors and self-evacuated,” ABC7 New York reports.
“Officials say that caused the 21st to 26st floors of the 37-story building to start caving under the stress,” it added.
“Fire officials said they received a call just before 8 a.m. about falling bricks near 235 East 42nd Street,” The New York Times noted.
🚨 FDNY Are Evacuating the Former Pfizer Headquarters Building in New York City Amid Reports of Structural Damage
“Building inspectors are there at the scene investigating reports that a structural support beam was beginning to buckle.” pic.twitter.com/yq6MMvivoY
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