A building collapse in Brookline, Massachusetts, provoked emergency responses after the top two floors of a three-story structure fell onto the street below, crushing a car with debris. The incident occurred earlier yesterday around 9:30 a.m. on Vernon Street, an area now touched by sudden destruction.
Local residents, including Rym Baouendi, were close to the scene when the collapse occurred. "I was shoveling the sidewalk here and first I heard a noise," Baouendi told CBS Boston.
"And when I turned around, the whole thing collapsed on my neighbor's car." The Brookline Fire Department reported on their Facebook page that the building was vacant and under construction at the time of the collapse.
Deputy Fire Chief Kyle McEachern highlighted the efforts taken to secure the area, informing the public that neighboring buildings were evacuated temporarily as a safety measure. McEachern mentioned that there is concern about the unstable facade and potential high winds, stating, “It’s unsafe to be in front of the building at this time.” The collapsed portions of the building will likely need to be torn down, as per CBS Boston.
Despite the severity of the collapse, no injuries were reported. The owner of the crushed vehicle described to CBS Boston, “I was just screaming, saying, 'My neighbors! My neighbors!' I thought they were in the car. But luckily was no one was there and it seems like no one was hurt." In the wake of the collapse, the Red Cross provided assistance on-scene, and the Brookline Building Commissioner conducted an assessment to ensure the stability of the surroundings.
Investigations into the cause of the collapse are likely underway, even as the town grapples with the aftermath and the question of what could have so suddenly brought a building under renovation to give way.
