Glass Debris Falls 23 Floors From Financial District Hotel

FINANCIAL DISTRICT, NY — Glass debris fell from windows on the 23rd and 14th floors of a hotel in lower Manhattan on Monday morning, dropping dozens of feet before shattering on the sidewalk below, city officials said.

No one was injured by the falling glass, which dropped from the Millennium Hilton at 55 Church St., officials said. The city's police and fire departments are on scene investigating the incident along with officials from the city's buildings department. A spokesman for the buildings department said the debris fell from two separate windows, one on the 23rd floor and one directly below on the 14th floor.

The sidewalk near the hotel and part of Church Street and blocked off for traffic as city officials continue their work.

Chris Hill, a representative for the hotel, said that no one was staying in the room on the 23rd floor. He explained that the preliminary investigation indicated the debris fell from the exterior pane of the windows, and that all rooms in the hotel have dual-pane windows.

Investigators are working to determine the cause of the falling glass.

"We're working with the Department of Buildings and FDNY and NYPD to try and uncover what could have possibly would have occurred," Hill told Patch. "We honestly have no idea what caused it."

Hill said hotel employees conducted a safety check on the rest of the building Monday afternoon.

Lead image via Patch.