ST. LOUIS – A building collapse on South Grand Boulevard on Friday left nearby residents without power for several hours.

Powerlines were taken out by the collapse and the alley was filled with bricks and debris.

“We heard from a lot of people in the community that a lot of our unhoused neighbors seek shelter in this building. So that was an immediate concern,” Capt. Garon Mosby from the St. Louis Fire Department said. “(We) did an immediate search of the building with our canine, cleared the building (and) searched the rubble pile in the back.”

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People were inside two properties next to the collapsed building, but nobody was injured.

“Once you remove a major component, the stability of the entire structure is compromised. So it can come down a little bit at a time; it could be a major collapse,” he said.

According to Capt. Mosby, the recent inclement weather could have impacted the building and contributed to the collapse.

“If they’re taking on the elements and they’re going through that freeze and thaw cycle as well, it helps deteriorate conditions and you will get additional collapsing, depending on how the buildings are maintained,” he said.

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