On Friday evening, a partial building collapse in Northeast Washington, D.C., left many residents alarmed. Fortunately, as the building was under renovation and unoccupied, no injuries were reported, according to D.C. Fire and the building’s developer.
Residents expressed that the incident was not surprising, given the building’s ongoing issues.
‘It was truly by some miracle that no one was hurt out here,’ stated ANC Commissioner Juan McCullum, who resides directly across from the site. He recounted hearing the noise of the collapse and described the event as alarming.
This collapse marks the second incident of its kind; in July 2021, a partial collapse had already caused debris to fall onto McCullum’s property. He shared that that previous incident resulted in over $60,000 in damage to his home and vehicle.
Video footage from that earlier collapse illustrated large chunks of debris scattered across McCullum’s lawn, evidencing the risks posed by the building. Since then, local residents have noted a lack of progress in stabilizing or redeveloping the site.
Francisco Gomez, a neighbor who has lived on the block for several years, expressed frustration about the slow progress, saying, ‘The whole time that I’ve been here, this has been in various stops and starts with very little actual progress being made.’
Another neighbor, Skip Keats, weighed in on the reasons behind the collapse, arguing against attributing it solely to recent storms. ‘Anyone who’s saying the storm took it down may have assisted, but it was prime to fall,’ he asserted, highlighting ongoing concerns about the building’s stability.
McCullum had previously voiced his concerns about the building’s condition during a public ANC meeting with D.C. Department of Buildings Director Brian Hanlon on June 10. He reported stating that he felt the building was in imminent danger of collapse, as he had observed it leaning several times.
At that meeting, Hanlon had assured McCullum that an inspection would take place the following morning, and that he would follow up personally.
However, McCullum noted with disappointment that he did not receive the promised call or any further communication from Hanlon.
‘That was June 10, and here we are; June 20, and I still haven’t gotten that call,’ McCullum said, expressing the lingering concern among neighbors about the city’s response.
Following the latest collapse, a spokesperson for the building’s developer, Nationwide Properties, labeled the incident a ‘weather-related construction issue.’ They announced plans for debris removal to be completed by June 25 and expressed a desire to engage with the community moving forward.
The developer’s statement emphasized their commitment to safety, transparency, and community engagement, and they pledged to provide updates once construction can resume.
City records indicate a troubling history for the property, including more than a dozen stop work orders issued since 2019. The latest order, issued just a day before the collapse, cited illegal construction practices and work being done without a permit.
Authorities acknowledged the property’s problematic history, noting numerous unsafe conditions that have prompted enforcement actions against the owner.
In a separate statement on Friday, the Department of Buildings confirmed their response to the partial structural collapse shortly after it occurred. They declared the building unsafe and issued a Stop Work Order on June 20, coordinating with the owner for safe debris removal and securing of the site. The department assured that they would enforce necessary corrective actions against the property owner to ensure compliance with building codes and public safety.
Despite these assurances, McCullum and his neighbors expressed their frustration over the lack of decisive action from city officials.
‘People are tired of waiting,’ McCullum said, urging the city to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of residents over other developments, such as the new stadium initiative being pushed by the mayor.
He warned that without immediate and strong interventions, the potential for future disasters looms large. ‘Yes, there’s no death here. But that’s a blessing this time,’ he cautioned.
Residents remain on edge about the possibility of another collapse, with McCullum argues that this situation should have been addressed more seriously before it came to another incident.
‘But then this is the second time, so do we need to wait for a third time before something is really done? I think enough is enough and this needs to end today,’ he stated passionately.
Amidst the chaos of that evening, a nearby attached row house had residents inside, but D.C. Fire confirmed no structural issues were detected there following the collapse. Fire crews utilized a K-9 team, which indicated that nobody was trapped under the debris.
However, images from the scene showed a BMW parked nearby, now covered by the remnants of the collapsed building, further illustrating the damage inflicted by the incident.
In addition to this collapse, D.C. Fire was busy responding to other emergencies during that night’s severe weather, including a fallen tree on a minivan and downed power lines in other parts of the city.
image source from：wusa9
