Firefighters comb through the rubble of a major building collapse in the Bronx on Dec. 11, 2023.
Photo by Dean Moses
Firefighters in the Bronx are searching for survivors of a partial collapse at an apartment building on Monday afternoon.
Sections of the six-story building at 1915 Billingsley Terrace, near Phelan Place, in Morris Heights fell to the ground at about 3:38 p.m. on Dec. 11.
Some 200 firefighters are on the scene looking for any individuals who may be trapped under the rubble. NYPD drones are also in use. So far, no injuries have been reported, though that could change based on the ongoing search.
According to WABC-TV, Mayor Eric Adams and Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh are heading to the scene.
“All we know is that this was an active building, a building in use, a mixed-use building,” Kavanagh told WABC-TV in a phone interview. “and because of that, we’re going to presume, until we know for certain, that someone could be in there, and we’re going to keep searching until we’ve confirmed whether or not that’s the case.”
A scaffold had been erected around the building; part of it fell after nightfall Friday as first responders continued their efforts to find any potential victims.
There have been 48 violations at 1915 Billingsley Terrace with the NYC Department of Buildings since 1984, according to the Buildings Information System, with two of those DOB violations still active.One of those violations, issued in February of 2020, pertains to a safety facade program, as well as a hazardous condition of possibly the same facade in March of 2021, according to Buildings Information System.
The NYPD advises all nearby residents to avoid the area while the emergency operation continues.
The Buildings Department is also on the scene to investigate the cause of the collapse.
This is a developing story; check with amNY.com later for further updates.
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