OAN Staff Addie Davis
12:16 PM – Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Emergency crews in New York City remain on the scene of an active incident where a Midtown high-rise is facing a severe risk of collapse.
The NYC Fire Department (FDNY) responded to a call at about 8:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday morning about “bricks falling from a tall building” on East 42nd Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues. Structural issues were soon discovered on the 21st floor, leading to the evacuation of the skyscraper and surrounding areas.
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito explained that steel beams had started to bend due to the weight, and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani described two structural columns as having buckled, with multiple cracks and sagging floors on the 21st floor.
Mamdani also emphasized that evacuations had been carried out for the affected building as well as seven surrounding buildings.
According to officials, the building has continued to move since first responders initially arrived on scene, emphasizing that it is a rapidly developing situation.
“We have seen continual movement. It does mean that it is not yet stable. It is still a very serious and dangerous situation,” Esposito said.
Officials stated further that a “collapse zone” had been established, and Mamdani said the area from 40th to 45th street between 1st and 3rd Avenues will be closed off to both pedestrians and vehicles as the situation continues to unfold.
FDNY Fire Commissioner Lillian Bonsignore noted that 150 Fire and Emergency Medial Services (EMS) personnel were still on scene.
The building — which happens to be the former headquarters of the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer — was an active construction site undergoing a commercial-to-residential conversion, according to officials. All construction workers have been safely accounted for, and no injuries have been reported.
New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) safety inspectors and structural engineers are currently on-site evaluating the damage. DOB Commissioner Ahmed Tigani stated that once the structure is stabilized, crews will implement a plan to shore up the affected floors and reinforce the building’s weak points.
The exact cause of the structural failure remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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