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Street blocked off as crews pull down crumbling columns

MCKEESPORT, Pa. — Parts of a building in McKeesport started crumbling from the ice and cold earlier this month.

On Friday, it had people rushing out to make sure their cars weren't hit.

This is the second time people who work or were on that street for business had to worry about something falling from five stories up.

"I'm just glad my car didn't get hit," Jessica Porman said.

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Channel 11 first reported earlier this month on the crumbling building on 5th Avenue, one of the busiest streets in McKeesport.

Now another brick pillar, four stories high and a foot wide, part of the building's facade gave way, raining bricks in every direction.

"We were in the dentist's office, people came running in and said I had to move my vehicle," Porman said. "They said bricks were falling into the road, luckily I parked further down."

No one one was hurt and the snow which caught some of the bricks was cleared away.

This is at least the 2nd time bricks came flying off the side of this five story building in Mckeesport ! A woman who was nearby told me how it caused a panic — At 5:30 ! WPXI-TV PITTSBURGH

Posted by WPXI Renee Wallace on Friday, January 19, 2018

The entire block, which is one way, has been closed to traffic.

The building inspector blamed the building's age and the frigid weather.

The Executive Building was built in the early 1970s, but has been vacant for more than a year.

PREVIOUS STORY: Bricks crumble off McKeesport office building near daycare

According to the building inspector, they have to get a hold of the owner of the building and need to get inside to check out the safety of the overall structure from inside.

"It's very scary, especially if you work on this block," Porman said.

The owner lives in New Jersey. McKeesport city leaders want him to fix the building or tear it down.

 

Cox Media Group

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