Panic in Manhattan: NYC high-rise evacuated after support columns buckle

Emergency stabilisation work is underway at the 37-storey building at 235 E. 42nd Street, where a structural column buckled on the 21st floor during an ongoing conversion of the property from a commercial office building into a residential tower.

Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani told ABC7NYC that temporary shoring had been installed to stabilise the structure.

"We were able to get to the 21st floor to inspect the work that's being done and feel confident that the emergency work is stabilising the situation," Tigani said, adding that an independent structural engineer had also been brought in to assess the building.

He said hydraulic jacks had been installed to support the structure, while new steel reinforcements were being added to improve its stability.

According to media reports, construction workers first noticed cracks inside the building, prompting emergency authorities to respond.

The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) said it received reports of a structural issue at the active construction site on East 42nd Street between Second and Third avenues in Manhattan.

"The call came in for reported issues at a 37-story building at 235 East 42nd Street that is currently being converted from a commercial office building into a residential building," the FDNY said in a post on X.

The department said two structural columns had buckled, with multiple cracks and sagging floors observed inside the building.

"It's a very serious situation because the box beams—the steel beams—have started to bend and deflect from the weight," FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said. "We evacuated the building and started evacuations of surrounding buildings. The building has continued to move since we have been on the scene."

No injuries have been reported.

All construction workers were safely evacuated from the site, while surrounding buildings were also cleared as a precaution.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised the emergency response teams for their swift action.

"Thank you to the teams at DOB, FDNY, NYCEM, NYPD, and every City worker who has been on the ground all day keeping New Yorkers safe, and working toward reopening the area as quickly as possible," Mamdani wrote in a post on X.