Firefighters search for anyone trapped after corner of 6-story Bronx apartment building collapses

NEW YORK — A six-story corner of a Bronx apartment building collapsed Monday afternoon, leaving apartments exposed like a stack of shelves, according to authorities and bystander and news video. There were no reports of injuries by early evening, but firefighters were continuing to search.

A worker at a nearby deli, Julian Rodriguez, said he was behind the counter when he heard people screaming about a building collapse.

“When I went outside, all you could see is the debris and a smoke cloud in the street,” said Rodriguez, 22. “And you could see inside the structure: people’s beds, their doors, closets, lights, everything. It was really scary.”

BREAKING: First responders are searching for possible victims after a six-story apartment building partially collapsed in the Bronx, New York. So far no injuries have been reported and the cause remains unknown. pic.twitter.com/a056kjxTGN

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) December 12, 2023

Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said on X, formerly Twitter, that there were no reports of injuries as of about 5 p.m. She said firefighters and search dogs were looking for any people trapped in the building, which is near the Morris Heights neighborhood.

A corner of the six-story building stood with its walls sheared off and floors sagging, with a heap of debris spilling out into the street. A search dog plied the pile, which included twisted and jumbled metal, apparently from scaffolding that had stood around part of the building.

In one apartment, a bed stood feet away from the edge of a floor that now jutted out into the air; in another, a portrait hanging on the wall was visible. Elsewhere, an armchair rested on a floor that tilted precariously down, like the top of a staved-in box.

The FDNY is continuing operations at the partial building collapse at 1915 Billingsley Terrace in the Bronx. The initial call came in at 3:38 pm, and units arrived within 1:30. The FDNY evacuated the building but there is concern that people may be trapped under the debris pile. pic.twitter.com/LrHiW5l1Dy

— FDNY (@FDNY) December 12, 2023

WABC-TV video showed firefighters shining bright lights into apartment windows from high ladders. At least one drone could also be seen hovering feet away from where the wall had fallen into the street.

A bit later, firefighters carted away rubble in buckets and used circular saws to cut through the collapsed scaffolding. But then firefighters pulled back from the rubble, at least for a time.

The Buildings Department said inspectors were at the scene, investigating.

The phone rang unanswered at a possible number for the building’s owner. Buildings Department records show the structure dates to 1927 and has about four dozen apartments.