Columns in Manhattan high-rise buckle, prompting evacuations

NEW YORK, July 7 - A high-rise building under construction in Manhattan was evacuated on Tuesday morning after two of its columns buckled, officials said.

The Fire Department of New York said it received a call just before 8 a.m. ET about bricks falling from the 38-story building located on 42nd Street.

Officials responding to the scene found two columns had buckled on the 21st and 22nd floors and multiple floors of the building were sagging, the department said.

Nearby buildings have been evacuated and streets remain closed, with no injuries reported at this time, officials said.

"Our top priority right now is the safety of those who live in this area, the safety of those who work in this area," New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters at an unrelated event.

The building near Grand Central Station was once Pfizer's corporate headquarters. It is currently being converted into an apartment building. REUTERS