It takes a lot to overload a column. They're usually considerably oversized
for compression, and any remaining capacity of the existing columns would be the first thing engineers, building department etc. checked & verified when designing the addition. Being steel it's possible they were too tall and/or slender for the new loads, but this is still SE101 stuff and virtually impossible to get through all the checkpoints without being flagged and octuple checked.
I saw a photo in another article (can't find now) that showed a sagging beam crushing a steel stud wall below. If that was a beam spanning those failing columns then it would suggest new / excessive loading midspan on the beam. That would then add new eccentric / lateral loads on the columns which could certainly cause the bending and twisting seen in the photos. So either a faulty detail or field execution that is causing load to be applied midway on beams instead of centered on columns.
It's hard to piece together with the scattered info out there so far, but that would be my guess based on what I've seen / read.
Only certainty as of now: many rich lawyers about to get richer.
Thread Replies (26)
Will be interesting to see how they deconstruct this mess 23+ stories up
-- Va AandM
Jul 07, 2026 at 05:49 PM ET
Va AandM
•
07/07/26 05:49 PM ET
Pfizer building just needs a dose of Viagra to stiffen it up.**
-- B777Fr8Dog
Jul 08, 2026 at 10:35 AM ET
B777Fr8Dog
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07/08/26 10:35 AM ET
Wow, amazing this is happening in 2026. A fascinating failure to follow,
-- BG Hokie
Jul 08, 2026 at 10:13 AM ET
BG Hokie
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07/08/26 10:13 AM ET
one poster said they added a swimming pool to the top? not sure if true
-- bigbadbird
Jul 08, 2026 at 08:25 AM ET
bigbadbird
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07/08/26 08:25 AM ET
Doubt it was filled. This is the old Pfizer HQ that is in the midst
-- Va AandM
Jul 08, 2026 at 09:10 AM ET
Va AandM
•
07/08/26 09:10 AM ET
I saw it was formerly the Pfizer Building or Pfizer HQ in it.
-- PhotoHokieNC
Jul 08, 2026 at 07:07 AM ET
PhotoHokieNC
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07/08/26 07:07 AM ET
Maybe a young hot Italian kid will murder their CEO over their culpability.**
-- BG Hokie
Jul 08, 2026 at 10:19 AM ET
BG Hokie
•
07/08/26 10:19 AM ET
It takes a lot to overload a column. They're usually considerably oversized
◄
-- LonghornHokie
Jul 07, 2026 at 09:12 PM ET
LonghornHokie
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07/07/26 09:12 PM ET
First thing I saw. I may be able to recover $$ for my trauma.**
-- PhotoHokieNC
Jul 08, 2026 at 06:59 AM ET
PhotoHokieNC
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07/08/26 06:59 AM ET
Yep, that's been an issue in every article I've read about it.
-- LonghornHokie
Jul 07, 2026 at 09:14 PM ET
LonghornHokie
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07/07/26 09:14 PM ET
At least he didn't say, "The cement floor is sagging". 🤷♂️**
-- MP4VT2004
Jul 07, 2026 at 09:51 PM ET
MP4VT2004
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07/07/26 09:51 PM ET
I was developing a cheat sheet for non-engineer first responders
-- TomTurkey
Jul 07, 2026 at 09:42 PM ET
TomTurkey
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07/07/26 09:42 PM ET
LOL. No difference there.**
-- LonghornHokie
Jul 07, 2026 at 09:50 PM ET
LonghornHokie
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07/07/26 09:50 PM ET
Now, the rest of the story...
-- TomTurkey
Jul 07, 2026 at 10:08 PM ET
TomTurkey
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07/07/26 10:08 PM ET
Im thinking of digging into this. Smells bad. Like fraudulent materials
-- ColoVT82
Jul 07, 2026 at 06:11 PM ET
ColoVT82
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07/07/26 06:11 PM ET
I'd say terrible design and/or implementation.
-- MP4VT2004
Jul 07, 2026 at 07:06 PM ET
MP4VT2004
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07/07/26 07:06 PM ET
There usually is more than one cockroach**
-- ColoVT82
Jul 07, 2026 at 07:11 PM ET
ColoVT82
•
07/07/26 07:11 PM ET
To say it's disconcerting would be an understatement.
-- EDGEMAN
Jul 07, 2026 at 05:58 PM ET
EDGEMAN
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07/07/26 05:58 PM ET
Latest is it’s not shifting and they are devising a stabilization scheme
-- Va AandM
Jul 07, 2026 at 06:06 PM ET
Va AandM
•
07/07/26 06:06 PM ET
I wouldn't want to live there, or even walk past it on the street...
-- EDGEMAN
Jul 07, 2026 at 07:43 PM ET
EDGEMAN
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07/07/26 07:43 PM ET
Surrounding streets are shut and adjacent buildings are evacuated
-- Va AandM
Jul 08, 2026 at 10:21 AM ET
Va AandM
•
07/08/26 10:21 AM ET
Yeah I have a feeling the builders have just condemned the entire building.
-- MP4VT2004
Jul 07, 2026 at 09:55 PM ET
MP4VT2004
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07/07/26 09:55 PM ET