Building Collapses in Indy With People Inside

June 26, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS -- The front of a west side building collapsed on Saturday, all while customers and employees were inside. Firefighters were called out to 30th Street and Kessler Avenue around 1:30 p.m. to find people running from the building and several crushed cars just before the facade fell to the ground. Officials said the building housed a restaurant, a wireless phone business and an art gallery, 6News' Rick Hightower reported. Tony Abdou was inside the building when the collapse happened.

INDIANAPOLIS --

The front of a west side building collapsed on Saturday, all while customers and employees were inside.

Firefighters were called out to 30th Street and Kessler Avenue around 1:30 p.m. to find people running from the building and several crushed cars just before the facade fell to the ground.

Officials said the building housed a restaurant, a wireless phone business and an art gallery, 6News' Rick Hightower reported.

Tony Abdou was inside the building when the collapse happened.

"The roof fell. There was a customer inside so we just got out the backdoor when it fell," Abdou said.

Capt. Rita Burris with the Indianapolis Fire Department said all of the customers and employees made it out of the building safely, but there were other damages.

"There were six cars that were damaged as a result of this catastrophic failure of the building," Burris said.

Burris estimated $75,000 worth of damages to the building.

Emily Mack, the deputy director of code enforcement, said the department will look at the building's construction methods to see if something was flawed, but she believed the building was repairable.

"We're working with the property owner to stabilize the structure, clean up the structure and ultimately restore it so that there are viable businesses back in there," Mack said.

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