Facade Collapse Crushes Cars In Hackensack, N.J.Incident Happened Across The Street From Devastating 2010 Collapse Site
September 28, 2013 8:57 AM
HACKENSACK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — The façade of a building in Hackensack, N.J. collapsed Saturday morning, causing no injuries but damaging vehicles below.
As 1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg reported, residents described a series of thunderous booms as the brick façade of 277 Prospect Ave. cascaded down around 5 a.m. The scaffolding and parked cars below were crushed.
The building rattled, leaving many like Ida Kilcullen fearing the worst.
“It sounded just like when the garage across the street collapsed,” she said. “It’s almost the same noise – only it was closer.”
Lena Mocoska was living across the street when the collapse occurred three years ago.
“Like a mini explosion,” she said. “I remember, I heard the sound when it happened across the street. It felt like a bomb went off.”
Luckily, the latest incident was not nearly as bad as the July 2010 calamity that threatened the two Hackensack Towers high-rises above the garage. Residents were not able to return home to the luxury apartment buildings until December of that year.
The building in the latest incident was under repair because it was found deficient after the collapse three years ago.
No one was hurt in the latest incident, but Hackensack Buildings Inspector Joe Malone has sealed off the perimeter.
“We’re going to take all the precautions we need now to make sure that if any other brick does come loose and fall, that it’s not going to injure anybody,” Malone said.
Officials said the collapse Saturday morning could have been deadly if it had not happened in the wee hours Saturday morning.
