News

Man says next-door demolition damaged his building in Charleroi

CHARLEROI, Pa. — Mike Sezawich has owned a building on Fallowfield Avenue in Charleroi for six years, but he says last week his building was damaged when the building next-door was demolished.

“Now, this is my nightmare,” he said.

Sezawich told Channel 11 News on Tuesday that bricks have already fallen on the ground in the last few days.

He said the building next to his had to be demolished because part of its roof collapsed.

Sezawich said he had a contractor out Tuesday and is worried about water getting into the newly opened holes in the side and a beam that’s sticking out.

“They cut the main support beam. Basically, it would be like cutting your house in half,” he said.

Sezawich said the main support beam could cause an entire wall to fall. He said the demolition was done under the direction of the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County.

When reached for comment, a community development specialist with the authority acknowledged Sezawich’s complaints but then referred Channel 11 News to the director. As of Tuesday night, the director had yet to respond.

Sezawich said in the meantime, he’s worried about the liability he would face if someone got hurt from a falling brick or crumbling wall.

“They just left a mess like this,” he said.