A parking garage floor gave way beneath a vehicle in Milwaukee's east side, causing a frightening scenario as the car and its unsuspecting driver plunged into a basement filled with sewer water, the incident occurred at The Empire apartment complex located at 1041 E. Knapp Street, this unusual event unfolded on Wednesday evening, leaving the vehicle's owner shaken but unharmed, as reported by WISN.
John Lee, the car owner, narrated his harrowing experience, "Going to park my car like a normal day, and, as soon as I back up, I hear some crackling noise," Lee described, according to WISN News, "I step out thinking I over something, and then, pretty much go back into the car, move back about two, two feet, and I hear the crackling noise again," until the ground suddenly gave way, leading to his car's descent into the opening alongside sewer water.
The Milwaukee Fire Department responded rapidly to the scene and thankfully reported no injuries; they also confirmed that the Heavy Urban Rescue Team evaluated the garage and concluded there was no immediate threat to life safety, according to FOX6 News. The first steps taken by officials at the scene included plans to recover the two cars that fell into the hole with a tow truck on standby as authorities cautioned residents to stay away from the damaged area.
Investigations into the cause of the collapse are continuing, and Milwaukee's Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS) has directed the property owner, Katz Properties, to obtain an engineer's report, restrict all non-worker access to the garage and this resulted in a temporary loss of heating for all units in the building due to a broken pipe—a problem that was eventually rectified by emergency repairs, "It was a super loud noise," Marisa Nash, a resident, recalled, she told the Journal Sentinel, further suggesting the collapse's shocking nature and its aftermath, as officials are working to ensure residents' safety after the incident which officials say its size was equal to two small SUVs.
While the Milwaukee Police Department and DNS are further assessing the situation, the current focus lies on structural integrity and resident safety with a specific look into whether the rest of the structure poses any risk. As emphasized by Deputy Fire Chief Ronald Firnrohr, the process of evaluation and recovery does not happen swiftly, indicating that a robust inspection and repair plan is crucial before life can return to normal for residents of The Empire apartment complex.
