Manhattan high-rise evacuated as officials warn of potential collapse

A high-rise under construction in Manhattan was evacuated on Tuesday after structural columns buckled and bricks fell onto the street, prompting officials to warn that the building remains unstable and at risk of a localized collapse. The 37-storey former Pfizer headquarters, currently being converted into luxury apartments, continued to show movement hours after the incident, forcing the evacuation of nearby buildings, including a school with around 400 children.New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani described the situation as “extremely serious,” saying engineers were using drones to monitor the building while working on plans to stabilise the damaged structure. Fire department chief John Esposito said two columns had buckled on the 21st and 22nd floors, with sagging reported between the 21st and 26th floors. No injuries were reported, and all workers inside the building were safely accounted for. The office-to-residential redevelopment, billed as the largest conversion project in New York City’s history, remains under investigation as emergency crews continue to secure the site.