Manhattan Skyscraper Evacuated as Structural Failure Threatens Midtown

The incident at 235 East 42nd Street began around 8 a.m. when bricks started tumbling from the building, prompting immediate closures across a high-traffic corridor near the United Nations headquarters. Fire Department officials confirmed that two primary columns on the 21st and 22nd floors failed, causing sagging across several levels. Despite the severity of the collapse, Mayor Zohran Mamdani reported that all construction workers were accounted for and no injuries occurred.

Emergency crews have evacuated nearby structures, including a school housing 400 children, as the tower continues to shift. To mitigate risk, the Fire Department is utilizing drones to assess the damage, avoiding the need to send personnel into the compromised structure. The building, designed by Gensler, is currently the site of the city’s largest office-to-residential conversion project, which involves adding over a dozen stories to the existing 1970s frame. While city engineers remain on-site to stabilize the floors, officials warn that the area will stay cordoned off until the building ceases its movement.