Midtown building evacuated after support beams buckle, floors cave

Midtown building evacuated after support beams buckle, floors cave

A Midtown high-rise was evacuated Tuesday morning after massive beams inside the under-construction building started buckling — sending some floors caving in and bricks raining down under the crushing strain.

The 37-story commercial building at 235 East 42nd Street was cleared out around 8:11 a.m. after construction workers spotted two faulty support beams bending and beginning to give way on the 21st and 22nd floor, according to the NYPD and FDNY.

Fire officials said floors were sagging between the 21st and 26th floor.

Support columns on the 21st floor of a 42nd street building under construction buckled leaving the upper floors vulnerable to collapse. William Farrington for The NY Post
The buckled beam that lead to the evacuation. New York Post
The street was closed after the building beam buckled on the 21st floor. William Farrington for The NY Post

All construction workers made it out of the building safely as a precaution, with no injuries reported.

Pedestrian and vehicle traffic was shut down along East 42nd Street between Second and Third avenues as police and fire officials investigate the scene.

The investigation is ongoing.

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