Unstable building in Midtown Manhattan forces multiple evacuations, street closures
The unstable building is the former Pfizer headquarters in Midtown Manhattan that is being converted into apartments.
Updated on: July 7, 2026 / 5:04 PM EDT / CBS New York
An unstable building under construction in Midtown Manhattan has forced evacuations and street closures, firefighters said.
More than 100 fire and EMS personnel responded to reports of bricks falling just before 8 a.m. on Tuesday at 235 E. 42nd St.
The call initially came in as just bricks falling from the 37-story building, but when the FDNY arrived on the scene firefighters found buckling and sagging floor conditions. Department of Buildings officials said when they arrived, they didn't see falling debris but found structural damage.
No injuries were reported, and all workers have been accounted for, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
Video from inside the building shows two columns buckled on the 21st floor. Officials said floors were sagging between the 21st and the 26th floors.