Manhattan High-Rise Evacuated After Support Columns Suddenly Decide They’ve Had Enough

NEW YORK — Construction crews and nearby office workers got an unexpected start to their Tuesday morning after two structural support columns inside a 38-story Manhattan high-rise buckled, forcing the evacuation of the building and several surrounding properties.

The New York City Fire Department said it received reports shortly before 8 a.m. of bricks falling from the building on East 42nd Street near Grand Central Terminal.

When emergency crews arrived, they discovered the problem was considerably more serious than a few loose bricks.

Officials say two steel columns on the 21st and 22nd floors had buckled, causing several floors above them to sag enough that authorities quickly ordered everyone out of the building and closed nearby streets as a precaution.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the city’s immediate focus was ensuring the safety of residents, workers and emergency personnel while engineers evaluate the structure.

The building, once the longtime corporate headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, is currently undergoing a massive renovation to convert the aging office tower into apartments.

Structural engineers will now spend the coming days trying to determine exactly what caused the failure and whether the building can be safely repaired before construction resumes.

Meanwhile, workers who showed up expecting another ordinary day at the job site instead got a reminder that when the building itself starts leaning into retirement…

…it’s probably a good time to head outside.