Home / Disasters and Accidents / Manhattan Skyscraper 'Extremely Unstable' After Columns Buckle
Manhattan Skyscraper 'Extremely Unstable' After Columns Buckle
7 Jul
Summary
- A 37-story building in Manhattan is critically unstable due to buckled columns.
- Structural issues were discovered on the 21st floor of the high-rise.
- No injuries were reported, and all workers were safely evacuated.
A critical situation is developing in Manhattan as a 37-story building on East 42nd Street is deemed "extremely unstable." First responders were alerted around 8 a.m. Tuesday to significant structural problems on the 21st floor, where two columns have buckled and floors are sagging.
Engineers are working rapidly with first responders to develop a plan to shore up the compromised floor. "Additional movement" was observed in one of the critical columns, highlighting the urgency of the situation. A "frozen zone" has been established by the NYPD, closing several blocks to traffic.
Fortunately, no injuries have been reported among the workers, all of whom have been safely evacuated and accounted for. The building was undergoing conversion from commercial to residential use. Efforts to stabilize the structure are ongoing.
