Tuesday’s collapse scare involving the structurally compromised Midtown Manhattan high-rise may have been triggered by the weight of a new addition atop the building.
The building’s developer said the tower’s upper 15 floors, beginning on the 22nd floor, were undergoing renovations to expand outward, making them wider than the floors below, according to The Wall Street Journal.
He added that the two support beams that visibly buckled on the 21st floor may not have been properly reinforced.
“This additional load that we put on those floors caused those two particular columns to collapse,” Nathan Berman, managing principal and founder of MetroLoft, told the outlet.
“Why those particular two columns and nothing else? We don’t know…we’re investigating that.”
According to the report, Berman said 95% of the building is still structurally intact.
The owner and developer of the structurally compromised Manhattan high-rise at the center of Tuesday's collapse scare were previously sued over alleged unsafe work conditions, court records show.
Construction worker Wilmer Cabrera Rojas allegedly suffered "serious and permanent personal injuries" after falling from an elevated height when a wooden platform collapsed in September, according to a personal injury lawsuit filed in New York state court in November 2025.
The lawsuit names several corporate entities as defendants, including site owner David Werner Real Estate Investments and developer Metro Loft Developers, at 219-235 East 42nd Street. The pair operate the project under combined joint venture 235 East 42 Owner LLC.
The suit alleges multiple violations of New York labor law, claiming the defendants failed to provide adequate fall protection and other safety measures, including catch platforms, safety netting and scaffolding, to prevent dangerous accidents.
Metro Loft Developers and David Werner Real Estate Investments did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
The compromised Midtown Manhattan building that officials warned could potentially collapse was previously cited for 22 violations, Fox News has learned.
The 37-story building — formerly the headquarters of Pfizer until 2018 — has been undergoing a major construction project to convert the property into residential units.
According to the Department of Buildings' database, the building's owners owe the city $39,000 in fines tied to the violations, Fox News correspondent CB Cotton reported. Most of the violations reportedly involved elevator issues.
At least 13 violations remain active, including one from August after a metal panel fell from the 33rd floor and landed on the sidewalk.
The project's developer has not responded to Fox News' requests for comment.
A union representative for some of the affected construction workers criticized the ongoing project, alleging that safety concerns were not prioritized.
“This is not something you typically see in New York City,” Cliff Johnson of Steamfitters Local 638 said.
“We have one of the best labor forces in the world. So to have a building have steel bending while it's under construction, to me it's a lack of vetting your contractors. To me it is a lack of not picking safety over profits.”
{{#rendered}}Crews have been cleared to enter the structurally compromised Midtown Manhattan high-rise following a massive evacuation order Tuesday morning.
The New York City Department of Buildings indicated that efforts to temporarily stabilize the structure are set to begin, Fox News correspondent CB Cotton reported.
DOB said the agency, along with the New York City Fire Department (FDNY), is also going building by building to determine whether any evacuated structures can be safely repopulated.
Officials will also assess the surrounding area to identify any potential changes to street closures.
Hours earlier, an emergency response prompted people to clear the surrounding area of the 37-story tower after officials warned it was at risk of collapsing. Falling bricks were reported and support beams appeared to buckle, ultimately causing multiple floors to sag downward.
Officials said Tuesday that a massive multi-agency response has been mobilized in New York City to address the Manhattan tower threatening collapse.
New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM), which is coordinating the response, said it recently convened an interagency meeting with Mayor Zohran Mamdani and seven other local and state agencies.
The session aimed to “align operations, share real-time information, and set priorities for public safety and recovery,” NYCEM said.
The departments involved include the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) and New York City Police Department (NYPD), which are managing the immediate scene and public safety response.
The Department of Buildings (DOB) will assess the stability of the high-rise as structural experts.
Consolidated Edison (Con Ed) and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) will address utility impacts and nearby transit adjustments.
The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (NYS DHSES) and the American Red Cross will provide state-level emergency support and potential assistance for displaced residents.
At least nine buildings were evacuated and three roads were closed in response to a Midtown Manhattan high-rise that officials warned is at risk of collapsing.
The unstable tower, located at 235 E. 42nd St., showed signs of structural instability Tuesday morning.
According to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, one of the nearby buildings evacuated was a school with roughly 400 children inside.
Kennedy International School, located at 225 E. 43rd St., was running a summer camp for children in pre-K through fifth grade this week, according to its website.
A hotel was also reportedly evacuated. Property listings identify 231 E. 43rd St. as the Hampton Inn Manhattan Grand Central.
Previously, Mamdani said that the New York Police Department (NYPD) blocked off traffic from 40th to 45th Streets between 1st and 3rd Avenues.
{{#rendered}}Authorities said that structural components of the Manhattan tower at risk of collapsing have continued moving since officials were first alerted Tuesday morning.
New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Chief John Esposito said officials have been monitoring the 37-story building using specialized equipment capable of detecting even small movements.
“So we have specialized tools that we can watch the building from and see movement even in, centimeters or fractions of an inch,” Esposito said.
“And since we arrived on the scene and put that in place, we have seen continual movement. It does mean that it is not yet stable. It is still a very serious and dangerous situation.”
Despite the severity of the situation, Esposito said a complete collapse of the building may not occur due to its steel frame.
"It's a steel frame building. So it would not be a total collapse. It would be more of a localized collapse," he said.
Officials released photos Tuesday showing the apparent sagging of a Midtown Manhattan high-rise that authorities said is at risk of collapsing.
Multiple floors in the middle of the 37-story building appeared to cave downward slightly, according to photos released by the New York City Fire Department (FDNY).
At least five floors were affected, officials said.The FDNY said the damage spans floors 21 through 26, with two structural columns buckling between the 21st and 22nd floors.
Since officials first responded to the scene Tuesday morning, "additional movement" has been detected in one of the compromised columns, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday that the state is prepared to provide resources as concerns mount over a Midtown Manhattan high-rise at risk of collapsing.
“My team is in close contact with City officials following the incident in Midtown Manhattan,” Hochul said.
She added that the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES), which coordinates state response to natural and man-made disasters, is already on scene to provide assistance.
“@NYSDHSES is on the scene and the State stands ready to provide any assistance needed,” Hochul added.
“Please avoid the area as emergency crews continue their work.”
{{#rendered}}Footage captured an interior beam buckling inside a Midtown Manhattan high-rise that officials warned Tuesday was at risk of collapsing.
In the video, the white beam appeared to bend and give way under pressure near a window.
First responders previously said at least two structural columns had buckled between the building's 21st and 22nd floors, causing floors in the 37-story tower to sag.
The New York City Fire Department released a photo Tuesday showing a bent beam inside a high-rise building that officials fear is at a risk of collapse.
"It's a very serious situation because the box beams—the steel beams—have started to bend and deflect from the weight," Chief of Department John Esposito said in a statement posted on X. "We evacuated the building and started evacuations of surrounding buildings. The building has continued to move since we have been on the scene."
The FDNY said its drones “have provided technical information and visuals for partner agencies as assessments are conducted.”
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito said Tuesday that the Manhattan high-rise deemed structurally unstable is showing “continual movement.”
"So we have specialized tools that we can watch the building from and see movement even in, centimeters or fractions of an inch. And since we arrived on the scene and put that in place, we have seen continual movement,” Esposito said during a press conference.
“It does mean that it is not yet stable. It is still a very serious and dangerous situation,” he added.
Esposito later said: "The the way this building is constructed, it's a steel frame building. So it would not be a total collapse. It would be more of a localized collapse, but that remains our concern, that it's moving."
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said “I want to be honest with New Yorkers that this is a fast-developing situation.
“We are taking it minute by minute. And I appreciate our city workers who have been on the forefront of that. Every few minutes, we are looking at a new assessment of the structure and of the possibilities and the options that we have in front of us,” he also said. “When it comes to the New Yorkers who call these streets their home, we are going to be in touch with them as soon as we have any updates."
{{#rendered}}New York City Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore said Tuesday that a massive fire and EMS presences have responded to 235 East 42nd Street in Manhattan, a high-rise that is "determined to be unstable.”
"At this moment, we have 150 fire and EMS personnel on scene, over 50 units,” she said.
"Upon arrival, there is an assessment done and the building was determined to be unstable. So we started evacuations of the building and the surrounding areas, establishing a collapse zone,” Bonsignore added.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Tuesday that an “extremely serious situation” is unfolding in Manhattan Tuesday following the evacuation of a high-rise building over fears that it may collapse.
"Around 8 a.m. this morning, FDNY received reports of a structural issue at an active construction site on East 42nd Street between Second and Third Avenues,” Mamdani said. “This is an existing 37-story building with active permits to convert it from a commercial office building to a residential building.”
Mamdani said first responders reacted “to the call immediately, and found structural issues on the 21st floor.”
“Two structural columns have buckled, in addition to multiple cracks and sagging floors. The building remains unstable,” the mayor warned.
“Since arriving on scene, we have witnessed additional movement in one of the compromised columns. First responders and structural engineers are working closely with the project engineer to develop plans to shore up the impacted floor,” Mamdani continued. “If the floor is deemed to be secure, engineers will enter and begin shoring up the building.”
“As we await the arrivals of materials that will stabilize the building, DOB engineers have been investigating with FDNY drones. This is an extremely serious situation and I am thankful to our first responders for quickly arriving at the site and to New Yorkers for reacting calmly and with urgency,” Mamdani said.
“I'm grateful to report that there have been no injuries at this time, and that every worker has been accounted for. The NYPD has instituted a frozen zone from 40th to 45th Streets between First and Third Avenues,” Mamdani added. “These streets have been temporarily closed off to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.”
A Midtown Manhattan high-rise building near Grand Central Terminal was evacuated Tuesday morning after authorities said it was at risk of collapsing.
Officials with the New York Fire Department said they received a call at 7:57am about falling bricks at 235 East 42nd Street between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue.
The building was once the corporate headquarters for the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, which moved to The Spiral in Hudson Yards in 2018.
The 38-story building was sagging between the 21st and 26th floors, according to the FDNY. First responders also noted that 2 columns buckled between the 21st and 22nd floors.
Approximately 130 fire and EMS personnel were activated to evacuate people from the premises.
{{#rendered}}Coverage for this event has ended.