Manhattan high rise building near Grand Central Terminal evacuated

A Midtown Manhattan high-rise building near Grand Central Terminal was evacuated Tuesday morning after authorities said it was at risk of collapsing. Officials with the New York Fire Department said they received a call at 7:57am about falling bricks at 235 East 42nd Street between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue. The building was once the corporate headquarters for the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, which moved to The Spiral in Hudson Yards in 2018. The 38-story building was sagging between the 21st and 26th floors, according to the FDNY. First responders also noted that 2 columns buckled between the 21st and 22nd floors. Approximately 130 fire and EMS personnel were activated to evacuate people from the premises. The building is in the process of being converted into an apartment complex with more than 1,600 units, The New York Times reported. The project was slated for completion by 2027. Six other surrounding buildings were also evacuated as a precaution, fire officials said. There have been no reported injuries. Officials with the city's Department of Buildings are on the scene and are using drones to examine the building. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the situation at an unrelated press conference, saying that a school with about 400 children inside was evacuated. "Most of 42nd Street and 43rd Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues have been shut down to pedestrians and to vehicles. And all of this is a reflection of the fact that our top priority right now is the safety of those who live in this area, the safety of those who work in this area, and DOB inspectors and engineers who are on site," Mamdani said.