Collapsed building in Lower Garden District
The New Orleans Fire Department is on the scene of a partial building collapse on Magazine Street and Felicity Street in the Lower Garden District. The building collapsed around 5:45 p.m., and the fire department was dispatched to a building at 1815 Magazine Street. When they arrived to the scene they found a two-story vacant building with the second-story partially collapsed and debris covering the sidewalk. A car parked in front of the structure was damaged. The building is vacant and is located at 1700 Magazine Street at the corner of Felicity Street.NOFD says Safety and Permits officials are on the scene to determine the safety of the building a surrounding area. Officials are asking the public to stay clear of the scene. New Orleans Fire Department also reported no injuries from the collapse.According to New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno, the owner of the building has agreed to clean up the debris and pay for a remediation plan for the building. Moreno said the owner approved for permits a few days ago to renovate the building; however, those permits had not yet been issued. It is unclear if any work was done in the building prior to the collapse. Moreno said she and the council are looking to consider reviewing all vacant, older buildings across the city to see if any structural issues need to be addressed. According to Moreno, the last time older buildings were assessed in this manner was in the 1980s and was only focused on downtown. Benjamin Rodriguez, the owner of the building, issued the following statement regarding the collapse: “I closed on the building a few months ago and aggressively moved through the permitting process. Permits were finally released and renovations were planned to start as early as next week.”Dash cam video from LaRhonda Lou Collins shows the building collapsing and then the transformer exploding. Ring camera footage from a nearby business, you can hear the moment the building collapses and the transformer explodes. City of New Orleans issues statement on collapse: The City of New Orleans issued the following statement regarding the collapse: “Today, Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the New Orleans Fire Department, Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, New Orleans Police Department, and Departments of Public Works, Safety and Permits, and Code Enforcement continue to respond to the incident of a partially collapsed building located at 1815 Magazine St. Entergy New Orleans reports that they have restored power in the area, and City departments are working to assess what may have caused the partial collapse. “The City is working to collaborate with the New Orleans City Council to develop legislation on regular inspections for vacant historical structures and buildings. We should also move forward with legislation mandating that property owners conduct annual structural inspections and maintain their properties. Furthermore, when property owners fail to maintain their buildings, and issues like this occur, the City must incur the cost of response and recovery. “City officials thank area residents and business owners for their patience and advise them to carefully navigate the area and street closures. Officials will reach out to the property owner and work with other agencies and private contractors to assess how to safely shore up the building throughout the day.”Entergy New Orleans issues statement on collapse: Witnesses told WDSU they believed a transformer blew, causing the building to collapse, but Entergy New Orleans issued a statement saying the building collapsed first, causing the transformer to blow.“A structure collapse at the corner of Magazine and Felicity caused damage to Entergy equipment, including a transformer — which created the flash seen by those nearby. To be clear, the transformer was impacted by the building collapse; it was not the cause. Entergy crews are on site and working with public safety agencies to secure the location,” Entergy New Orleans said. Entergy is on the scene of the incident to mitigate any issues with power lines and possible gas leaks. Power Outages: Power has been restored as of 7 a.m. Tuesday morning.The restaurant Gris-Gris, which is across the street from the building posted on Facebook that they shut down and were partially out of power due to the building collapsing from across the street. https://www.facebook.com/grisgrisnola/posts/pfbid0FBcvTo2m1SgrD8fKrAUUB6G6WDqLeCajUAXDJpPz3TurHPu5ELCC46tJGH5yY2o9l[/facebook]Entergy New Orleans said 310 people were without power in the area. Previous building collapses: This is the second partial building to collapse in the past two weeks. A building partially collapsed in the 600 block of O’Keefe Avenue, between Girod and Lafayette Street on Dec. 14. Many businesses in that area were evacuated due to the collapse. The businesses were able to reopen two weeks after the initial collapse.In September, a building collapsed in Central City at the intersection of Oretha Castle Boulevard and Thalia Street near the New Orleans Jazz Market.The building was demolished shortly after the collapse.The intersection of Magazine and Felicity Street also experienced a large fire that displaced several residents in October. The fire happened on Hastings Place, near the collapse in a two-story residential building. Seven people were displaced from that fire and two firefighter were hurt while battling the fire.
The New Orleans Fire Department is on the scene of a partial building collapse on Magazine Street and Felicity Street in the Lower Garden District.
The building collapsed around 5:45 p.m., and the fire department was dispatched to a building at 1815 Magazine Street.
When they arrived to the scene they found a two-story vacant building with the second-story partially collapsed and debris covering the sidewalk.
A car parked in front of the structure was damaged.
The building is vacant and is located at 1700 Magazine Street at the corner of Felicity Street.
NOFD says Safety and Permits officials are on the scene to determine the safety of the building a surrounding area.
Officials are asking the public to stay clear of the scene.
New Orleans Fire Department also reported no injuries from the collapse.
According to New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno, the owner of the building has agreed to clean up the debris and pay for a remediation plan for the building.
Moreno said the owner approved for permits a few days ago to renovate the building; however, those permits had not yet been issued.
It is unclear if any work was done in the building prior to the collapse.
Moreno said she and the council are looking to consider reviewing all vacant, older buildings across the city to see if any structural issues need to be addressed.
According to Moreno, the last time older buildings were assessed in this manner was in the 1980s and was only focused on downtown.
Benjamin Rodriguez, the owner of the building, issued the following statement regarding the collapse:
“I closed on the building a few months ago and aggressively moved through the permitting process. Permits were finally released and renovations were planned to start as early as next week.”
Dash cam video from LaRhonda Lou Collins shows the building collapsing and then the transformer exploding.
Ring camera footage from a nearby business, you can hear the moment the building collapses and the transformer explodes.
City of New Orleans issues statement on collapse:
The City of New Orleans issued the following statement regarding the collapse:
“Today, Mayor LaToya Cantrell, the New Orleans Fire Department, Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, New Orleans Police Department, and Departments of Public Works, Safety and Permits, and Code Enforcement continue to respond to the incident of a partially collapsed building located at 1815 Magazine St. Entergy New Orleans reports that they have restored power in the area, and City departments are working to assess what may have caused the partial collapse.
“The City is working to collaborate with the New Orleans City Council to develop legislation on regular inspections for vacant historical structures and buildings. We should also move forward with legislation mandating that property owners conduct annual structural inspections and maintain their properties. Furthermore, when property owners fail to maintain their buildings, and issues like this occur, the City must incur the cost of response and recovery.
“City officials thank area residents and business owners for their patience and advise them to carefully navigate the area and street closures. Officials will reach out to the property owner and work with other agencies and private contractors to assess how to safely shore up the building throughout the day.”
Entergy New Orleans issues statement on collapse:
Witnesses told WDSU they believed a transformer blew, causing the building to collapse, but Entergy New Orleans issued a statement saying the building collapsed first, causing the transformer to blow.
“A structure collapse at the corner of Magazine and Felicity caused damage to Entergy equipment, including a transformer — which created the flash seen by those nearby. To be clear, the transformer was impacted by the building collapse; it was not the cause. Entergy crews are on site and working with public safety agencies to secure the location,” Entergy New Orleans said.
Entergy is on the scene of the incident to mitigate any issues with power lines and possible gas leaks.
Power Outages:
Power has been restored as of 7 a.m. Tuesday morning.
The restaurant Gris-Gris, which is across the street from the building posted on Facebook that they shut down and were partially out of power due to the building collapsing from across the street.
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Entergy New Orleans said 310 people were without power in the area.
Previous building collapses:
This is the second partial building to collapse in the past two weeks.
A building partially collapsed in the 600 block of O’Keefe Avenue, between Girod and Lafayette Street on Dec. 14.
Many businesses in that area were evacuated due to the collapse.
The businesses were able to reopen two weeks after the initial collapse.
In September, a building collapsed in Central City at the intersection of Oretha Castle Boulevard and Thalia Street near the New Orleans Jazz Market.
The building was demolished shortly after the collapse.
The intersection of Magazine and Felicity Street also experienced a large fire that displaced several residents in October.
The fire happened on Hastings Place, near the collapse in a two-story residential building. Seven people were displaced from that fire and two firefighter were hurt while battling the fire.
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