No Deaths Reported After 7-Story Bronx Apartment Partially Collapses
Firefighters found no victims after searching the debris left by the corner of the building that collapsed. Two people had minor injuries.

First responders rush to the scene of a shocking partial building collapse in the Bronx on Monday, December 11, 2023. FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh says drones, K-9 units and the department are still canvassing the rubble for potential victims.

The Bronx apartment building that partially collapsed Monday, leaving a harrowing skeleton of a structure but miraculously sparing anyone serious injuries, had been flagged for more than 100 building violations, according to city records.

The corner of the 96-year-old, seven-story building, located on Billingsley Terrace in Morris Heights, came crashing down late Monday afternoon. More than 25 complaints were lodged against the building last month alone.

In recent years, residents of the brick complex complained of strange odors, elevator outages that lasted days or weeks and, in some cases, a general sense that the building was not structurally sound.

“Multiple apartments in this building are overcrowded and you can hear the building deteriorating,” said a complaint filed in 2017, according to the city Buildings Department.

In 2015, a resident’s complaint said, “the building is highly unstable,” adding, “you can hear it cracking and deteriorating from the inside,” according to city records.

Still, the building had no open structural violations, Buildings Commissioner James Oddo said at a news conference Monday. Seven violations were open.

The 47-unit building is owned by 1915 Realty LLC, which could not immediately be reached for comment.