MONESSEN, Pa. (KDKA) – A man who narrowly escaped a building collapse in Monessen said he heard a rumble of thunder then bricks started falling.
The pile of rubble in the alley and mounds of debris seen in what used to be windows give you an idea of the level of structural failure that occurred when parts of the old Mon Valley Independent lost their battle against gravity and time.
The man didn’t want to show his face but said he had an up close and personal look at the collapse as he walked through the alley behind the building.
“I was just walking through the ally and it just started coming down,” he said.
Monessen police and fire were at the scene almost immediately. The collapse closed alleys in the area. Monessen Police Chief David Yuhasz said given the state of many buildings in Monessen, this isn’t surprising and it’s lucky to have happened when it did.
Source: Building collapses in Monessen during storm – CBS Pittsburgh
