No one was injured early Saturday morning when the facade of D’Arc’s Pizza Shop collapsed onto Graham Avenue.
Windber and Richland fire departments responded to the scene at 3 a.m. A heap of bricks and a downed balcony closed a portion of Route 160 at the intersection of 21st Street and Graham Avenue.
Windber fire Chief Craig Cicon said the cause of the collapse is unknown.
“It was pretty chaotic when we got on scene,” he said. “It was so dark, we couldn’t tell if the roof had collapsed or if there were people inside.”
Two people were in the apartments above the pizza shop when the collapse occurred. They were not injured, but Cicon said firefighters had to force entry into the apartment to get the tenants out.
“They were sleeping,” he said. “I don’t know if they actually heard it.”
Cicon said an overhanging peak on the building’s facade fell, taking out the balcony below. The building dates back to the early 1900s, he said.
“I’m not sure that we’ll ever know exactly what caused it,” he added.
The borough’s maintenance crew and code officer assisted at the scene. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was also notified of the incident, Cicon said.
Coal trucks that utilize the state route were diverted Saturday. The roadway is expected to remain closed until the top of the building is secured with steel plates, borough manager Fred Oliveros said.
Copyright 2012, dailyamerican.com
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