NYC high-rise's possible collapse prompts evacuations

Authorities in New York City evacuated a street block on Tuesday, after an under-construction high-rise became unstable with buckling columns and sagging floors.

Officials said they feared that the Midtown Manhattan building could collapse.

Located near the iconic Grand Central Station, the 1970s-era office building is currently under renovation, being converted to luxury apartments.

"Two structural columns have buckled, in addition to multiple cracks and sagging floors. The building remains unstable. Since arriving on scene, we have witnessed additional movement in one of the compromised columns," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.

"This is an extremely serious situation," Mamdani added, saying there had been no injuries at the scene, and that every worker has been accounted for.

Mamdani said the project engineer was working with structural engineers to develop plans to shore up the structure.

Officials said emergency struts and beams were being brought in to strengthen the building.

Fire Chief John Esposito said that due to the steel-framed building's construction, "it would not be a total collapse, it would be more of a localized collapse."

School in the evacuation zone

Mamdani said that among those evacuated were some 400 students from a nearby school.

Firefighters responded to initial reports of falling bricks at around 8 a.m. local time (01:00 pm UTC), with emergency response vehicles rushing scene at the busy corridor near Grand Central train station and the landmark Chrysler Building.

Soon after, officials found two columns that had buckled on the 21st and 22nd floors and floors were sagging between the 21st and 26th floors.

Nearby streets have been closed to people and vehicles. Mamdani said that among those evacuated was a nearby school with 400 students.

The mayor said New Yorkers will be allowed to "return back into these buildings when we are fully confident that they are safe for them to do so."

Edited by: Zac Crellin