NYC High-rise Evacuated After Construction Workers Find Floors Caving In, Beams Buckling * The Gateway Pundit * by Margaret Flavin

www.thegatewaypundit.com
Close-up of a damaged wooden beam, revealing peeling paint and wear, with colorful circular patterns visible through the glass behind it.Image via NYPD

On Tuesday morning, a high-rise in Midtown Manhattan was evacuated after structural issues inside the under-construction commercial building.

Located at 235 East 42nd Street, the floor began caving in, and structural beams began buckling.

ABC7 reports that around 8 a.m., construction workers noticed cracks inside the building.

“The FDNY say the workers spotted structural support beams beginning to buckle on the 21st and 22nd floors and self-evacuated.”

Construction workers at the site discovered the structual issues.

According to NYFD officials, all construction workers at the site left the building safely, and no injuries were reported.

A statement from the FDNY shared images of the buckling beams and stated, “Just before 8 a.m. Tuesday, the FDNY received reports of a structural issue at an active construction site on East 42nd Street between 2nd Avenue and 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. The call came in for reported issues at a 37-story building at 235 East 42nd Street that is currently being converted from a commercial office building into a residential building.”

“FDNY units, as well as representatives from the Department of Buildings and NYC Emergency Management, responded and found structural issues on the 21st floor. Two structural columns buckled, and there were multiple cracks and sagging floors.

“It’s a very serious situation because the box beams—the steel beams—have started to bend and deflect from the weight,” Chief of Department John Esposito said. “We evacuated the building and started evacuations of surrounding buildings. The building has continued to move since we have been on the scene.”

“The FDNY’s drones have provided technical information and visuals for partner agencies as assessments are conducted. All workers were accounted for as of 1 p.m. Tuesday. Approximately 150 FDNY fire and EMS members responded to the scene.”

A worker spoke with PIX11 News and described the scene, “So what happened was, they did not shore up the job correctly.”

“The beams started crumbling, the floors started crumbling and we had to evacuate and they might potentially evacuate the other side.”

“Putting members in jeopardy, putting workers in jeopardy, you have to do the right job.  And you’ve got to do it every time.”

When asked about the project, the worker noted, “This was a total renovation.”

“They came in and gutted the building, I believe it was 20-something stories, and then they wanted to add another 16 to it.”

“So you have to rebuild the foundation of it, and go up from there.”

“They obviously did it incorrectly.”

Watch:

Video shows the chaos surrounding the site following street closures and emergency response teams.

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