Empty 5-Story Manhattan Building Partly Collapses; No Injuries

NEW YORK (AP) —

Authorities say multiple floors inside a vacant Lower Manhattan building have collapsed, sending debris tumbling but leaving no injuries.

It happened around 3:30 a.m. Friday in a five-story building on Park Place, near City Hall.

Fire Department Deputy Chief Frank Leeb tells reporters that although little damage is apparent from the outside, the interior collapsed “from the roof all the way to the first floor, in a pancake.”

The cause hasn’t been determined, though Leeb says heavy rain and wind may have been a factor.

City Buildings Department records show a permit for interior work was issued in September.

A partner in the building, Tom Grainger, says the work was minor and more extensive renovations aren’t yet underway.

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