Midtown Manhattan blocks evacuated after beams buckling at construction site
6 hours ago
- #building-evacuation
- #structural-failure
- #construction-safety
- A 37-story building at 235 E. 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, undergoing conversion from offices to residences, experienced structural issues on the 21st floor, causing beams to buckle and floors to cave.
- The building has continued to move, leading to evacuations of several nearby blocks, including a school, a Hampton Inn, and seven other buildings, with a frozen zone established between 40th and 45th Streets.
- No injuries were reported as all construction workers were safely evacuated, but structural engineers are monitoring the situation to prevent a potential partial internal collapse.
- The building, formerly Pfizer's headquarters, had seven violations between July and December 2025, resulting in over $32,000 in fines, according to Department of Buildings records.
- Officials, including the mayor and governor, are coordinating response efforts, with emergency trusses planned to shore up the building once it is deemed safe to enter.