A 37-story skyscraper in Manhattan, formerly the global headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, is at risk of partial collapse after its internal support columns mysteriously buckled on July 7, forcing the evacuation of the building and surrounding blocks.
The high-rise, located at 235 East 42nd Street near Grand Central Terminal, is currently undergoing a major conversion into a luxury residential complex with more than 1,600 units. The incident occurred around 8 a.m. when workers on the 21st floor reported severe structural issues. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) confirmed that two main steel support columns had buckled, causing floors between the 21st and 26th levels to sag and crack.
Officials immediately established a "frozen zone" and evacuated the construction site, along with nine nearby buildings, including the Israeli Consulate and a school with approximately 400 students. No injuries have been reported, and all workers are accounted for.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the situation as "extremely serious," noting that the building remains unstable and that additional movement was detected in one of the compromised columns throughout the day. "This is a minute-by-minute assessment," Mamdani said, warning New Yorkers to avoid the area.
FDNY Chief of Department John Esposito stated that while the building's steel frame prevents a total collapse, a localized collapse remains a concern because "the box beams started to bend and deflect from the weight," and the structure "has continued to move since we have been on the scene".
Structural engineering experts cited in Scientific American explained the phenomenon, comparing steel columns to drinking straws that can suddenly buckle sideways under excessive pressure rather than snapping cleanly. This buckling can trigger a "progressive failure" as the load transfers to adjacent columns, which may then also fail.
The precise cause of the buckling remains under investigation. The building is part of the largest office-to-residential conversion project in New York City history, involving redesigning the former Pfizer tower and adding 11 floors to an adjacent structure. While the cause is not yet confirmed, a union representative from Steamfitters Local 638 suggested that insufficient steel to support the added weight during the conversion may have been a factor, although officials have not verified this claim.
The developer, Metro Loft, stated it is cooperating with the Department of Buildings to understand the situation and confirmed that the affected area is limited to a small section of the site, insisting the entire building is not at risk of collapse. Emergency crews are on standby with support beams, awaiting approval to enter and begin shoring up the structure once it is deemed safe.
Road closures and transit disruptions around the Midtown area are expected to continue while engineers assess the stability of the compromised skyscraper.
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