Midtown Manhattan's former Pfizer building was left at risk of collapse on Tuesday after its columns began buckling during a conversion project, forcing the evacuation of a nearby school with about 400 children and several surrounding buildings, officials said. Mayor Zohran Mamdani warned New Yorkers to avoid the area as the 37-storey high-rise at 235 E. 42nd St. continued to move hours after workers first noticed cracks and structural damage inside the tower.
The news came after construction crews spotted the trouble around 8 am, when support beams began to buckle on the 21st and 22nd floors, according to the FDNY. Fire Department Chief John Esposito said the building remained unstable and described the situation as serious and dangerous, while officials said the stress had spread upwards through the structure and affected floors 21 to 26.
