Overview

• The incinerator and ventilation shaft at the Mitchel Houses on Alexander Avenue failed around 8:10 a.m., tearing a vertical section from the building’s exterior near the boiler room.
• No injuries or fatalities were reported as firefighters used drones and K-9 units to search debris and found no signs of trapped victims.
• Con Edison shut off gas service, streets were closed, and a reception center and community shelter opened to assist residents displaced by evacuations.
• At least 40 apartments were cleared initially, with city officials later estimating roughly 100 families displaced from the F and G lines as inspections continue.
• Structural engineers are assessing stability, crews are expected to demolish the damaged shaft to restore services, and investigators are examining recent boiler work and open violations without drawing conclusions.