MORRIS HEIGHTS, Bronx (WABC) — Residents of the building that partially collapsed in the Bronx this week say they want the building owner held accountable.
But first, the building needs to be made safe for the more than 150 residents to return and to figure out why it collapsed in the first place.
Preparations are now underway for an “emergency demolition” of the pieces left hanging on this collapsed corner. The floors and ceilings are still dangling.
First responders are on the scene of a partial building collapse in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx Monday afternoon.
The building collapsed partially Monday afternoon. Surveillance video from an MTA bus showed that sudden and frightening moment.
The goal is to have residents able to return eventually, but there’s a lot of work to be done.
Clean up began on Tuesday.
It’s still not known *why the collapse happened, but records show there were faade repair plans in place for March of 2021, originally postponed due to COVID, and despite getting a permit this year, still hadn’t been fixed.
Mike Marza slows down surveillance video and gives us a breakdown of how the Bronx partial building collapse may have happened.
Plus, residents had submitted numerous other complaints.
City officials say they will be looking into changing some oversight policies.
We’re a city of millions of buildings and 500-something inspectors,” said Meera Joshi, NYC Deputy Mayor for Operations. “So we will never, with boots on the ground, get to every building.”
“I believe in the concept of having outside individuals that are bonded, certified, go through necessary approvals,” Mayor Eric Adams said. “Making sure we can get those private entities to do so is something I’m going to look at and examine and we can do it and make sure it’s done safely.”
As for the residents, the Red Cross says it has provided 44 households, which is 153 people including children, with emergency housing and other assistance.
WATCH | Retired NYPD Chief of Detectives reacts to Morris Heights building collapse
Retired NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce joins Eyewitness News to discuss the partial building collapse in the Bronx Monday afternoon.
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