The corner of a six-story New York City residential building collapsed Monday, leaving apartments open to the elements. No injuries were immediately reported, the New York Times reports, but crews were tunneling though the rubble in an effort to find anyone who might be trapped. Firefighters were using drones, robotics, canine units, and their hands, per WABC. Julian Rodriguez was working at a deli nearby when people started screaming, per the AP. "When I went outside, all you could see is the debris and a smoke cloud in the street," he said. "And you could see inside the structure: people's beds, their doors, closets, lights, everything. It was really scary."
Flor Jimimian was working in her tax preparation office on the ground floor of the Bronx building when a major water leak hit the market on the first floor. She stepped outside to check the leak, and 20 seconds later, she said, the collapse happened in front of her. The brick facade was determined to be unsafe after an inspection in 2020, per the Times. The 46-unit building's owner was ordered to have repairs done, but it wasn't clear Monday whether that happened. The owner was fined last month for a scaffolding danger. Scaffolding was part of the collapse Monday.
Henry Grullon, 53, who lives nearby, said people in the area are nervous. "Everybody I know that's in buildings around here is like, 'Oh, my God, is my building next?'" he said. Maridelsa Fana, who lives on the third floor, said residents had long complained the state of the building. "People said this place is going to fall apart piece by piece," Fana said. "But no one imagined this." (More building collapse stories.)
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