• Source:JND
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One section of a 20-story apartment high-rise in New York City fell early Wednesday morning, casting a massive dust cloud over the Bronx and triggering a massive emergency response. The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) said that one corner of the high-rise, part of the Mitchel Houses complex in the Mott Haven neighbourhood, fell into rubble around 8:10 am local time. There were no immediate reports of injuries, officials said, though search-and-rescue efforts were quickly launched. 

Initial accounts said the collapse may have involved the building's incinerator shaft, but the agency would not say. The building belongs to a city-owned public housing development run by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). According to an agency statement, residential apartments had not been affected, and inspectors were in the field evaluating the scope of the damage.

Eyewitness Accounts And Dramatic Footage

Videos shot by neighbours captured one side of the building torn away from the ground level to the top, with a thick cloud of dust covering the block seconds later. Television news helicopter footage filmed a rescue dog crawling over mountains of bricks, air conditioners, and mangled metal that had been ripped out of apartment windows as it collapsed. Witness Diamond Freeman explained to local station WPIX-TV, "There was a boom and all of the side of the building just collapsed. It was wild. All you see is smoke."

Emergency Response On Site

The FDNY reported that it had first heard rumours of a potential gas explosion, but investigators continued to try to determine the cause of the event. The NYCHA added that older buildings have in the past utilised incinerator shafts to burn waste in-house, but most of them have been retrofitted with trash compactors.

Mayor Eric Adams, having been notified of the incident, requested that people avoid the area. "Please maintain distance for safety," he tweeted on X, while indicating that a thorough assessment was underway. Firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical services remained at the scene by late morning, cordoning off the area and ensuring no one was trapped under the wreckage. 

Authorities explained that the investigation continues and emphasised that the foremost concern remains to stabilise the site and ensure the safety of nearby residents.