Scary Video Shows Blocks Of Ice Falling From High-Rise In New York

A video from New York which shows a large slab of ice dropping from a skyscraper and narrowly missing a car and a walker is going viral. This video alerts people about the ‘falling ice’, a phenomenon in which ice slabs that get frozen over skyscrapers or other buildings melt suddenly and fall in large chunks. Often the ice blocks fall without a warning which makes it even more dangerous. Over the years the New York’s Department of Buildings has warned business owners and landlords to make sure there is no ice on their ledges or other nooks that can result in loss of property or life.

A post shared by My Christmas in New York | Marco Abbiati (@mychristmasinnewyork)

The above-mentioned video was posted on Instagram by a New York local Marco Abbiati. So far, this clip has 1.5 lakh likes. While sharing this video, an X user wrote, “I didn’t bring it up in December, as the temperatures hadn’t reached freezing levels. However, now the time is right to address it, especially considering it might be crucial information for next December if it turns bitterly cold. Should you come across a sign that reads, “Caution – Falling Ice and Snow”, it’s wise to switch to the opposite sidewalk. As evident from the video recently captured in NYC, sizable ice sheets can form on skyscrapers. With rising temperatures, these ice slabs thaw and plummet to the ground. This phenomenon, known as “Falling Ice” is rather common in NYC.”

Commenting on it, an Instagram user wrote, “That person just made it!! Whoa!! Being a NY’er you have to look up down east west north and south!” An Instagram user recalled their experience with ‘falling ice’ and wrote, “This happened to me years ago, if I was one step closer I would have died – definitely gave me a complex when walking in the winter – be safe everyone!”

Another person remarked, “I’ve only been to NYC twice, both in summer, so I obviously wouldn’t have seen this then. But we live about 4 hours north of there. We have a 2-story house with a full attic. We have blocks of ice that come off our roof sometimes that can weigh as much as 40 lbs. From 30 feet up, that’s definitely real enough.”

The instances of the ‘falling ice’ have been attributed to a rise in skyscrapers that are made of glass and steel. When ice or snow falls on buildings made of concrete, it melts gradually. However, in the case of buildings that are made of steel and glass, the snow accumulates in large slabs and then falls in large blocks when the temperature drops significantly.