{"id":3930,"date":"2026-07-07T19:40:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T19:40:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3930"},"modified":"2026-07-07T19:40:45","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T19:40:45","slug":"crucial-beams-inside-buckling-nyc-building-bending-like-cigarettes-worker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3930","title":{"rendered":"Crucial beams inside buckling NYC building \u2018bending like cigarettes\u2019: worker"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Crucial support beams in Tuesday\u2019s buckling Midtown skyscraper were \u201cbending like cigarettes\u201d\u00a0 \u2014\u00a0 sending some floors collapsing under the punishing pressure, according to a construction worker.<\/p>\n

Read more Exclusive | NYC Midtown building evacuated over collapse fears is riddled with prior\u00a0\u2018safety\u2019 issues: records<\/a><\/p>\n

Cliff Johnsen of Steamfitters Local 638, whose crew was installing the building\u2019s fire-protection system at the under-construction 37-story hi-rise at 235 E. 42nd St. near Second Avenue, was among several hardhats forced to flee the site when they spotted two metal support beams bending on the 21st and 22nd floors.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe I-beams are bending like cigarettes in there, which is super dangerous,\u201d Johnsen told reporters outside the troubled structure, formerly home to pharma giant Pfizer.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The building was undergoing a renovation to add 11 more stories as part of its conversion from commercial to residential \u2014\u00a0and Johnson alleged that developers failed to install enough steel supports to bear the added weight.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt that point, you need to add more steel \u2014 and they obviously didn\u2019t add the right amount of steel,\u201d Johnsen said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo the north side of that building is crumbling.\u201d<\/p>\n

First responders evacuated the shaky Manhattan building around 8 a.m. when workers discovered the warped support beams buckling \u2014 leaving the 21st and 26th floors sagging from the crushing strain.<\/p>\n

Read more Midtown NYC building \u2018shifting\u2019 and in danger of \u2018localized collapse\u2019: officials<\/a><\/p>\n

Only hardhats were in the building at the time, and no injuries were reported.<\/p>\n

Police and fire officials shut down pedestrian and vehicle traffic along East 42nd Street between Second and Third avenues as they investigate the scene.<\/p>\n

Several nearby buildings, including a hotel and school with more than 400 kids, were also evacuated as a precaution, officials said.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWhat they have found thus far is that there are structural issues with the building,\u201d Mayor Zohran Mamdani told reporters during a press conference.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would say beyond that, just for those in the immediate area to follow the instructions of those on the ground, we have seen evacuations not only of the building but also surrounding buildings, as well as a nearby school. And I believe those actions are appropriate at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more Jalen Brunson quietly has surgery for injury that he battled during Knicks championship run<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Crucial support beams in Tuesday\u2019s buckling Midtown skyscraper were \u201cbending like cigarettes\u201d\u00a0 \u2014\u00a0 sending some floors collapsing under the punishing pressure, according to a construction worker.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3929,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-metro"],"yoast_head":"\nCrucial beams inside buckling NYC building \u2018bending like cigarettes\u2019: worker - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=3930\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Crucial beams inside buckling NYC building \u2018bending like cigarettes\u2019: worker - 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