BOSTON (WHDH) - Some in Boston’s North End neighborhood were left looking for another place to stay Thursday night after a partial roof collapse on Fleet Street forced evacuations in neighboring buildings and prompted a lengthy emergency response.
Firefighters responded to the scene at 43 Fleet Street around 10 a.m. Officials said the building was empty. But people living nearby had to be evacuated from buildings at 45 and 37 Fleet St.
Police also blocked off the area and established a collapse zone, with crews still on scene as of around 9 p.m.
Neighbors described the moment of the collapse, with one telling 7NEWS it felt like a “light earthquake.” Multiple neighbors said they then received calls from their landlords telling them to get out of their homes.
Neighbors scrambled to get out quickly, grabbing only essentials which, in the case of two roommates, included a pair of pet goldfish.
“They’re strong,” Rachel Bieling said of the fish. “They’re going on two years now so they’re survivors.”
Officials said multiple floors beneath the roof of the five-story brick building also collapsed after the roof caved in.
Unable to immediately assess the damage to the building up close, fire officials used a laser to detect any movement in the structure and a drone to monitor it from above.
Boston Deputy Fire Chief Greene said the building hadn’t been inhabited “in some time.”
While it’s too soon to know the cause of the collapse, as officials consider the building’s age as well as Thursday’s messy mix of winter weather, Greene said increased weight on the roof created a “dangerous situation.”
Though Greene said the situation was stable, he said the building was still being monitored through the afternoon Thursday.
Officials said Thursday night that they’re hoping residents will be able to return home at some point on Friday.
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