Serious Negligence to Blame for NYC Apartment Collapse

Serious Negligence to Blame for NYC Apartment Collapse

In December of 2023, the entire corner of an apartment building in the Bronx fell away, exposing people’s bedrooms and living quarters to the cold winter air. Residents are already asking serious questions. How could a building in New York suddenly fall apart in such spectacular fashion? What kind of flaw caused this? Unfortunately, this is just one example of increasing safety concerns throughout the Bronx. 

Why Did an Apartment Building in the Bronx Suddenly Collapse?

As of this writing, investigators still aren’t quite sure what caused the shocking partial collapse of an apartment building in the Bronx. Days after the incident, an engineer told The City that he believed the disaster was caused by problematic construction work on a nearby water main. The Department of Design & Construction was responsible for this work, and at least one engineer hired by the apartment owner suspects that this ground-floor construction could have destabilized the column on the first floor of the building. He stated:

“It looks to be the problem would be at the first floor. I say that because of the way it collapsed. It looks like there was a failure of the corner column at the first floor and then the rest came down.”

However, city investigators have publicly stated that the water main had nothing to do with the collapse – and yet did not provide any alternative theories in the immediate aftermath of the collapse. 

Two people were injured in the collapse, which sent bricks hurtling down to the ground level and onto the street. Although the exact cause of this disaster remains elusive, one thing is clear: The City apparently knew that the apartment building was unsafe three years ago. Residents are beginning to ask why no effort was made to address these safety concerns. 

Engineer Faces Consequences for Building Collapse

On December 15th, Gothamist reported that an engineer had lost his authority to inspect buildings after being implicated in the apartment collapse. According to the buildings commissioner of New York City, this engineer made a serious error when he inspected the apartment complex earlier in June of 2023 and mistakenly identified a crucial, load-bearing column as “decorative.” 

Three witnesses and a government official said that this misidentification caused workers to jackhammer the column and remove bricks from it. They were completely unaware that they were chipping away at a column holding up the entire corner of the apartment building. It is not clear whether any other individuals will face the consequences of this disaster or whether legal action may occur. 

Find an Experienced Injury Attorney in the Bronx

If you have been searching for an injury attorney in the Bronx, look no further than the Glassman Law Group. Whether you have been injured by a collapsing building, a fire, or a construction site disaster, you deserve to pursue compensation with dignity and efficiency. Many of these shocking accidents are caused by serious negligence, and those responsible must be held accountable. To learn more about the most appropriate next steps, book a consultation today.