Fire officials in New York City announced evacuations around a Midtown Manhattan high-rise building undergoing conversion from office space to luxury apartments after reports of falling bricks and buckling columns.

The 1970s-era former Pfizer headquarters, located near the Chrysler Building and Grand Central Terminal, prompted the evacuation of nearby buildings including a school housing approximately 400 children.Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed no injuries were reported and all workers were accounted for.The New York Fire Department responded to the incident at around 8 a.m., identifying structural issues on the 21st and 22nd floors with sagging floors between the 21st and 26th floors.

The office-to-residential conversion, led by architectural firm Gensler, is described as the largest in New York City’s history, involving the addition of over a dozen stories.Authorities emphasized prioritizing safety for residents and workers in the area, with building inspectors and engineers on-site.The incident highlights ongoing challenges with aging infrastructure in a city known for its iconic skyscrapers.