A shocking incident unfolded Wednesday morning in New York City as a section of a high-rise apartment building dramatically collapsed, transforming a significant corner of the structure into a pile of debris.
Miraculously, the city’s fire department confirmed there were no immediate reports of injuries following the incident. Their rapid response was prompted by an alert of a gas explosion, which appears to have caused the collapse of an incinerator shaft within the 20-story Bronx building.
Onlookers captured incredible footage revealing the sheer extent of the damage: a substantial corner of the high-rise had crumbled from its base all the way to the roof. Eyewitness videos shared by residents living nearby depicted a massive plume of dust engulfing the area shortly after the collapse occurred at approximately 8:10 AM.
Officials confirmed the affected structure is a city-owned public housing complex.
Historically, incinerator shafts in New York City buildings served as on-site waste disposal systems where trash was burned. However, these systems have largely been phased out and replaced by modern trash compactors, which often utilize the existing vertical chutes.