Parking lot collapse: Building manager describes chaotic moment concrete started to fall

PENN HILLS, Pa. — “Boom, boom, boom everything was shaking like crazy,” said worker Benjamin Bair.

Benjamin Blair is the building manager at 11670 Frankstown Road. On Tuesday, he was cleaning out an apartment unit on the lower level when this happened:

“The whole building was shaking. Instantly I ran out of the unit, running up the steps begging on doors screaming, the building’s going to fall, everybody out,” said Blair.

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Initially, Blair thought a plane or truck may have crashed into the complex, but when he got to the front door, he saw the parking lot sunken beneath him.

“There was a woman in her car down there. I yelled out, ‘Are you okay?’ and she was like, ‘Call 911,’” said Blair.

Blair who is also a volunteer firefighter pulled the alarm and said with the help of first responders he began going floor by floor banging on doors to alert tenants and ensure they got out safely.

“We just started prying open doors and then the police would go in and systematically we evacuated like the entire building,” said Blair.

Officials said the parking lot collapsed onto an unused warehouse that sat beneath it, and while no one was injured removing the cars dozen or more cars from the lot and repairing the structure will take time.

“We lost a lot of revenue and a lot of lottery sales,+ especially because the mega million is like 1.2 billion,” said Hitesh Patel, the owner of Penn Hills Mini-Mart.

Businesses in the area say time is something they do not have. Many stores in the neighboring strip mall are unable to open and are without water and cut off to customers due to the road closure.

“We are going to have to come up with a contingency plan and make sure our bill gets paid on time,” said Patel.

Channel 11 News spoke with the Penn Hills Fire Marshall, who said this complex will not reopen until a full investigation is conducted, and the lot is completely rebuilt.

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