The corner of a seven-story building in the Bronx collapsed Monday afternoon, exposing several apartments – but incredibly nobody was seri...
The corner of a seven-story building in the Bronx collapsed Monday afternoon, exposing several apartments – but incredibly nobody was seriously injured, officials said.
The partial collapse at 1915 Billingsley Terrace in Morris Heights took place at around 3:30 p.m., stunning onlookers at West Burnside Avenue and Phelan Place who could see inside the slither of units with downward-sloping floors.
The top floor still had a bed and other personal belongings inside a room that was without half of its walls.
Firefighters searched the massive mounds of rubble for any possible victims, but fortunately there was nobody under the debris, FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said Monday night.
Two civilians suffered minor injuries during the evacuation, the FDNY said.
“Miraculously, no one was severely injured at the partial building collapse at 1915 Billingsley Terrace. From looking at the scene and surveillance footage, it could have been so much worse,” Kavanagh said in a social media post.
It’s unclear why part of the building collapsed.
Footage obtained by CBS 2 from an apparent surveillance camera down the street from the building shows the moment part of the debris fell to the ground as people quickly ran from the intersection.
Firefighters rushed to the scene in about 90 seconds and quickly had the power and gas shut off to the building, NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Zachary Iscol said during the briefing.
Occupants of the 1927 building, which includes 47 residential units and six businesses, have been evacuated, the FDNY said on social media. Displaced residents were directed to a nearby school where officials would assist them.
After residents were helped out of the building, firefighters quickly turned their attention to the debris pile in front of the building with the help of its K-9 unit.
“And at this time that is our main objective is to get to the bottom of that pile. We’ll be here until it’s down to the street level just to make sure if there are any victims under there, hopefully we could get to them in time but it’s an ongoing operation,” FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens said.
There was an active permit that was valid until next summer and work was being done as recently as a few days ago, but not on Monday, he said.
There were drawings submitted by the owner that addressed part of the right lower corner that is now collapsed, Oddo said, noting building department officials will take a “strong look” at that.
“Again we’re taking a look at the drawings that they submitted as part of the permit,” he said. “And I want to be clear, unsafe facade conditions is not the same as an unsafe building. But we are taking a good look at the paperwork, the drawings that they submitted, and we’ll have some answers.”
The building had seven open violations, but none were structural, the building department head said.
