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Partial building wall collapse in downtown Cedar Rapids – No injuries

News

July 26th, 2020 by Ric Hanson

Emergency responders in Cedar Rapids were called to the scene of a partial building collapse, Friday night. KCRG-TV reports the incident in downtown Cedar Rapids caused damage to a vehicle below. The incident was reported at around 10:45 p.m., and was initially thought to have been caused by a possible explosion. Brick and limestone from the Iowa Building at the corner of Third Street SE and Fourth Avenue SE were seen strewn on the ground surrounding the building, and a car parked on Fourth Avenue SE received significant damage from the fallen parts of the building. No injuries were reported.

Officials believe that the brick and attached decorative building features from the seventh floor and above became detached from the main structure. There appeared to be no explosion. The owner of the building will be required by the city to have the building assessed to determine if there is a risk of any additional collapse or damage.

Sidewalks and streets in the area will be disrupted until analysis of the building’s integrity is completed.