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Rescuers were forced to use drones and a ‘robotic dog’ to search for survivors
One person was killed and at least five others were injured when a parking garage collapsed in New York City, prompting what local officials called an “extremely dangerous” rescue operation amid fears the rest of the building could give way.
Located in Lower Manhattan not far from City Hall, a large section of the building caved in around 4pm on Tuesday afternoon, with the first floor crashing through to the basement in a “pancaked” collapse, according to the city’s acting buildings commissioner, Kazimir Vilenchik.
The New York City Fire Department confirmed that one person died in the incident, while five others, all of them workers at the garage, were injured. FDNY Chief of Operations John Esposito said one of the survivors was briefly trapped on an upper floor but was successfully evacuated, adding that four of the five workers required medical treatment and were expected to recover.
Footage purporting to show the moment of the collapse has circulated online, including one clip captured from within the parking garage.
Video submitted reportedly from the parking garage collapse on Ann Street in Manhattan. pic.twitter.com/fHu6xtOWm9
— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) April 18, 2023
Other videos show the extent of the damage from outside the building, with cars seen teetering on the edge of a gaping hole in the garage roof as dust rises from the structure.
#WATCH – A parking building collapse in New York City has been described as feeling “like an earthquake.” Video of the aftermath shows cars hanging in between floors of the three-story building.
👉 https://t.co/9dCxIp1Fhq pic.twitter.com/jIcyPSPgAj
— 1News (@1NewsNZ) April 19, 2023
Take a look at the damage from a parking garage collapse in Lower Manhattan today. One employee was killed and five others were injured. The cause is still unknown but the FDNY says the building was “so structurally unstable.” Full report on @NY1 at 10 pm. Video c/o @dadarocks pic.twitter.com/kgfPBdncmS
— Rebecca Greenberg (@RebeccaGNews) April 19, 2023
Esposito said rescue efforts were “extremely dangerous” due to instability in the portion of the building still standing, with firefighters forced to retreat after concluding the risk of further collapse was too great.
To assess the scene and search for survivors without putting personnel in harm’s way, the department deployed its robotic ‘DigiDog’ to scan through the rubble, while drones were also used to view the building from above.
The @FDNY robot dog on the scene. #fidi #garagecollapse pic.twitter.com/JAHc3abVsD
— DaDa Rocks! (@dadarocks) April 18, 2023
The city fire official stated that he believed everyone inside the building was accounted for, but added that rescuers would continue searching through the night to ensure no one remains trapped in the wreckage.
The cause of the collapse is not yet known, but city officials confirmed an investigation is ongoing and that nearby buildings would be inspected for damage. What remains of the four-story parking garage is now “completely unstable,” Mayor Eric Adams said.
While the mayor added that the building did not appear to have any outstanding code violations, city records obtained by Reuters show that its owners had been cited for 25 violations since 2003, including “ceiling slab cracks” and “defective concrete” in some areas.
