A parking garage on Ann Street in lower Manhattan collapsed Tuesday afternoon, killing one person and injuring five others, officials said.
Pictures and video of the scene at 37th Ann Street, between Nassau and William streets, showed cars lying on top of each other and dust rising from the wreckage. The collapse sent debris from the top floor to street level.
A clip of footage from a nearby rooftop showed a cloud of dust rising from below, as a distant voice shouted, “Get out! go out! Get out!” a voice close to the camera responded with a single, startling impudence.
Officials initially said they received reports of people being trapped, but Fire Department Chief John M. Esposito said at a news conference at the site of the collapse shortly after it happened that he believed all workers at the garage were accounted for. for.
Mayor Eric Adams, speaking at a news conference, said four of those injured inside the cave were hospitalized. He did not specify the nature of their injuries. A fifth person refused medical attention, Mr. Adams said.
The fire department pulled its emergency services personnel from the site immediately after responding due to concerns about the integrity of the building’s remains. Officials said they were using rescue workers using tower ladders, drones and a team of robotic dogs to find victims.
Department of Buildings inspectors were at the scene of the collapse around 4 p.m., an agency spokesman said. Citing “shaking” and “vibration,” fire officials asked building inspectors to examine the structural stability of the property.
As emergency vehicles immediately filled the surrounding streets, workers with hand-held stretchers and cutting tools headed toward the pile of concrete and stacked vehicles tucked under yellow police tape.
Art director Cesaro Glamer, 39, who works on the ninth floor of a building on William Street directly across from the garage, said he heard the noise and ran to the window with some colleagues. At first, he said he thought what he heard was an earthquake until he saw “cars collapsing on top of each other.”
“We packed up and left,” Mr Glamer said.
Ariel Stern, 32, of Manhattan, a construction manager who works a block away on Ann Street, said her car was caught in the wreckage. He said he had been parking in the garage for about six years and arrived there around 11 a.m. Tuesday.
“I usually leave work at 4:30 or 5 p.m.,” he said. “I got caught today and I’m thankful I didn’t go in.”
Michael D. Reagan Contributed report.
