On April 19, 2023, a tragedy rocked Manhattan’s Financial District as a four-story parking garage, originally built in 1925, collapsed, leaving one person dead and five injured. Photos from the scene revealed a packed roof of now-destroyed cars and SUVs, estimated to be between 50 and 60 vehicles. Mayor Eric Adams confirmed this later, attributing it to the collapse.
The FDNY and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office (DAO) are launching their investigations, with no leads yet as to whether there was any criminal intent or negligence. As of now, they theorize that the building’s advanced age and the weight of the vehicles were factors in the death of the man trapped inside.
The FDNY focus is now on removing the cars, using a backhoe shovel to clear out the garage before it can be demolished, with a controlled explosion understood to take place on Thursday, April 22. Commissioner Zach Iscol described the operation as “incredibly complex.”
When the collapse happened around 4:10 PM, slabs of concrete broke loose from the fourth floor and plummeted into the cellar, hitting four people among the garage’s visitors, who have been treated at a local hospital.
Now, it will be possible to piece together the tragedy’s cause. The FDNY and the DAO will investigate and hopefully, soon be able to explain more about the incident and its catalyst.