What to Know
- Investigators looking into the lower Manhattan parking garage that collapsed last week, killing one worker and hurting others as five stories of concrete caved in, say initial findings indicate the building's age and number of vehicles on the roof deck factored into the disaster
- The Ann Street garage was first constructed in 1925, though didn't gain a certificate of occupancy until 1957; the number of cars on the roof deck and the building are likely contributing factors
- Pace University, which evacuated two buildings on the day of the collapse, now says one building will stay closed for the semester because it shares a wall with the garage; demolition is ongoing
Dramatic drone footage released Tuesday shows the aftermath of last week's parking garage collapse in Manhattan, a deadly wreck that saw five concrete floors pancake down atop one another in the middle of the afternoon.
The shocking scene unfolded in the Financial District on April 18, sending ashy debris clouds into the air on Ann Street as panicked people ran from evacuated buildings. Screams for help are heard in witness videos, while FDNY aerial footage shows exposed staircases and piles upon piles of collapsed bricks and debris in the area.
"A single five-minute drone flight relayed critical timely info that would have otherwise taken much longer to gather, and endanger many first responders in the process," said NYPD First Deputy Commissioner Edward Caban.
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The drone video reveal came as part of a more encompassing event highlighting technological advances in rescue efforts. Mayor Eric Adams attended the briefing, which also highlighted the FDNY's new robot dog, Bergh (not to be confused with the NYPD's robot dog, Spot, whom you've already met.)
"Some people called them toys, this is not play time. This is real time," said Mayor Adams, who emphasized how the city intends on using the dogs after previous backlash from those fearing the high-tech tools will infringe on New Yorkers’ civil liberties. "They will not be intrusive. We want to use it in the right way and not abuse it in the process."
The city plans to use the robot dogs in hostage situations, public safety emergencies and to help authorities recover evidence. In the building collapse, the robot dogs and drones were able to share critical information, like the location of the body of 59-year-old garage manager Willis Moore and the steadiness of the building’s steel beams.
The multipronged, delicate operation on Ann Street marked Bergh's first time in action for the FDNY. The animal, named for American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals founder Henry Bergh, is capable of using sensors for search, rescue, inspection and environmental monitoring. It's primarily intended for use in hazmat situations but can also be used in collapse scenarios, which is especially helpful when human rescuers must be pulled out for safety.
That was the case in Lower Manhattan last week. Buildings inspectors and emergency personnel were intensely concerned the parts of the garage left standing might not hold -- and rescue crews were ordered out. To ensure no other victims were potentially trapped inside, the FDNY sent in Bergh with a thermal camera to detect heat signatures, as well as a microphone that can pick up sounds, like cries for help, as well as a 360-degree camera that can zoom in.
Bergh went from the first floor to the second floor, performing initial assessments, before the drone went up to access areas the robot dog could not. Bergh did help out with other elements of the investigation later, fire officials said.
"The incident marks the first time in FDNY history that multiple robotic teams with air and ground robots were used in conjunction with firefighters and rescue personnel," the agency added in an Instagram post. "The information gathered by Bergh was critical to the #FDNY response, and his deployment a success."
In all, six nearby buildings were under evacuation orders pending inspections, according to city officials.
The fallout continued to mount Monday, with Pace University announcing its William Street building that shared a wall with the collapse garage would be closed for the rest of the spring 2023 semester because of the disruptive demolition. Work is expected to take some time on that front, authorities have said.
The body of the lone person to lose his life was recovered from the rubble Wednesday, as those who know him described Moore as a "doll." Willis Morris was buried in his second-floor office when the building he managed caved in.
Several other workers were hurt, though none of their injuries was said to be life-threatening.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has opened an investigation into the collapse of the century-old structure, a spokesperson said, the investigation continues. Initial findings indicate the age of the building and the number of vehicles parked on the roof deck contributed to the disaster, officials have said.
Enterprise Ann Parking, which operated the garage on Ann Street, has said it is cooperating with authorities..
The owners of the building have not responded to calls or emails requesting comment.
