Several people in Chelsea were forced out of their homes Sunday night when the front of an apartment building collapsed, leaving behind a pile of bricks on the sidewalk below.
Residents said they heard a rumbling noise at approximately 8:30 p.m.
A Chelsea City official who inspected the structure said he determined that water seeped into the walls, leading to rot and the sudden collapse of the facade. He said he condemned the right half of the building on Orange Street.
Six units were impacted by the collapse.
“The whole front of the building collapsed, some serious structural instability in the building, so we evacuated all the residents,” Chelsea Fire Department Deputy Chief Robert Denning said. “We’re in the process of shutting down the power, shutting down the gas, and relocating all the occupants.”
The fire department deployed its new drone unit to give them a better view of the damage done to the building. They said getting a bird’s-eye view helped them make better decisions that kept everyone safe.
“It’s actually showing us that there’s some real structural damage to this building, and it is in danger of coming down,” Denning said.
Residents on the left side of the apartment building are being allowed to stay, as city officials said there have been no problems with deterioration uncovered in that part of the building.
No one was hurt in the collapse.
