India’s UN Mission building evacuated after parts of nearby tower begin to buckle

New York, July 7 (IANS) India’s UN Mission building was evacuated on Tuesday after part of a tower across the street buckled, threatening nearby structures.

A source said everyone at the 27-storey mission building was safe and that they left the building when they were informed that a city evacuation order was coming.

The building, with a red sandstone facade, includes housing for the families of mission staff, as well as offices and conference facilities.

The mission building itself was safe as of noon local time on Tuesday, and the evacuation order for the mission building was only a precautionary measure.

The problem arose at Pfizer’s former world headquarters, which is now being converted into a residential building.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said many tall buildings in the area are also being evacuated. He added that luckily there have been no injuries to report at this time, and all workers are accounted for.

Officials said beams on the 21st and 22nd floors of the Pfizer building began to buckle on Tuesday morning, endangering the safety of the upper floors up to the 26th, which started to sag, raising fears of a major collapse.

Bricks and other building material fell on 42nd Street, on which Times Square and Grand Central Terminal are located, but further west.

Vast swathes of 42nd Street and 43rd Street, where the mission is located, have been barricaded by police. Closures also extended to other streets in the area, a prime area for hotels and offices.

Officials said nine high-rise buildings were ordered evacuated.

–IANS

al/dan