A high-rise in Manhattan has been declared stable by New York City officials after buckling support beams sparked fears of a partial collapse. The scare, which unfolded a day earlier and stretched into a second day, forced crews and residents in the surrounding area to clear out while authorities assessed the danger.
The trouble began when workers found beams buckling inside the 37-story building. The problem was centered on the 21st floor, where the structure showed signs of stress that raised immediate concern about the safety of the tower.
The building is an older office tower that is in the middle of being renovated into apartments. It was on one of the under-construction floors that steel beams could be seen visibly bent and buckled, an alarming sight that pointed to a serious structural problem.
Officials had warned of a dangerous threat of a partial collapse of the building. As a precaution, a large number of people were evacuated from the area, and the blocks around the tower were treated as an active emergency zone.
Despite the frightening scene, the most important outcome was that no one was hurt. Both those inside the building and people living and working nearby were moved out of harm's way before the situation could worsen.
By the next day, the city's building commissioners said the structure was now stable. Officials said they are monitoring the building both inside and out around the clock, and that they have come up with a plan to bring in materials to shore up the affected floors and those around them.
The building's developer said the issue has been identified and that there is a clear plan to fix it. Even so, residents in the area expressed a mix of relief, frustration and anger over the scare, as crews continued their work to secure the tower.