New York skyscrapers 'at risk of collapsing without warning'

NEW YORK – Two luxury buildings in New York are feared to be at risk of collapse following the partial collapse of a skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan.

On July 7, construction workers at the former headquarters of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer were alarmed when two support columns in the 37-storey office building at 235 East 42nd Street suddenly buckled.

Floors 21 to 26 of the building, located near Grand Central Terminal, collapsed under structural stress, while cracks and sagging floors were also found throughout the skyscraper.

Fears of an immediate collapse eased after maintenance teams rushed to stabilise the structure. However, the incident has raised questions over how many other high-rise buildings in New York may be concealing serious structural defects that could endanger occupants and pedestrians.

96-storey tower and a stalled project

A 96-storey skyscraper in an upmarket New York neighbourhood is feared to be cracking after swaying heavily in strong winds, dragging its residents into legal action against the builder, which is accused of concealing critical defects. Local authorities, however, insist the building remains safe.

Elsewhere, a 60-storey skyscraper project overlooking New York's financial district has been left half-finished after its structure began settling and tilting to one side.

The leaning tower has triggered a separate court case, with the contractor claiming the building is too dangerous to complete and blaming the developer for taking cheap cost-cutting shortcuts that led to potentially catastrophic problems.

New York city officials maintain that the situation is under control for now. Even so, it may only be a matter of time before more of the city's largest buildings trigger further mass evacuation orders, as happened with the crumbling structure on 42nd Street. – AGENCIES