Firefighters say nobody was hurt when two commercial buildings collapsed in Anchorage over the weekend.
Anchorage Fire Department Assistant Chief Alex Boyd said crews responded to a single-story commercial building collapse at 570 Ingra Street at about 7:40 a.m on Saturday. Crews found a 200-by-50-foot section of the building’s front collapsed, with a wall pushed into a nearby street.
Then, early on Sunday, emergency crews responded to a partial building collapse near Dowling Road and C Street. The commercial building was not occupied at the time, said a statement from the Anchorage Fire Department.
City building engineers are still evaluating the factors behind the collapses. But, the fire department said, the incidents should serve as a reminder to building owners to evaluate the amount of snow and ice build-up on roofs.
“Recent winds may have moved snow from adjacent roofs, freeze thaw cycles may have obstructed drains, and other changes may have occurred that affected building loads,” said the department’s statement. “If in doubt or concerned, building owners should contact a building engineer to evaluate their structure.”
The Sunday collapse happened at a building that houses Quality Transmission Service, an auto repair shop. Anchorage Fire Department Assistant Chief Alex Boyd described it as a flat-roofed commercial building built in the 1970s or 1980s.
Anchorage police were initially called to the building shortly after midnight to investigate a possible burglar alarm and found there had been a collapse.
Anchorage has had above-average snowfall this winter. Less than a month ago, another roof collapsed in Anchorage, this one at a CrossFit studio. It left one person dead. Ice accumulation may have contributed to that collapse, officials said.
The fire department cautioned residents that signs of a building overload include sagging, new or worsening cracks, “nail pop” on the finished surfaces and doors or windows that have become difficult to open or close. If you believe a collapse is imminent, evacuate the building and call 911, said the fire department.
