Overview
- Construction workers on the 21st and 22nd floors spotted buckling columns and falling bricks, which led to sagging between the 21st and 26th floors during the Tuesday morning rush.
- Fire, police and DOB teams set up a frozen and collapse zone, closed East 42nd Street, evacuated the tower plus nearby buildings including a school and a hotel, and reported no injuries with all workers accounted for.
- Officials say the structure remains unstable and has shown continued movement while DOB inspectors and structural engineers plan to bring emergency struts and beams to shore the compromised area.
- The site is the former Pfizer headquarters being converted by MetroLoft into roughly 1,500–1,600 apartments under an active construction permit and large project financing.
- Records show repeated safety complaints since 2025, with the general contractor hit with seven violations and about $32,530 in fines, and union reps have publicly questioned the job’s shoring and safety practices.