Church collapse in Brighton Heights sends debris into the street

PITTSBURGH — A church collapsed and sent debris out into the street in Brighton Heights on Monday.

Neighbors thought the church on McClure Avenue had exploded when they saw pieces of the church and shattered glass all over the property.

Church member Curtis Ramey was cutting the grass and cleaning up the inside of Christian Fellowship Center Church of God in Christ in preparation for this Sunday’s service.

“I decided I was going to leave and go home. I got home and was home for 40 minutes and I got a phone call that the roof caved in,” Ramey said.

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RAW Church collapse in Brighton Heights RAW Church collapse in Brighton Heights

It would have been the first time the congregation met met since the pandemic started.

Pastor Frank Tillman Jr. told Channel 11 they were expecting close to fifty people.

“We were here for 20 years, and we have a lot of beautiful wonderful memories in this building and the congregation,” Tillman said. “In it’s infancy, it was an Underground Railroad station for slaves coming from the south up to the north so there’s a lot of history."

The church has been there for over a century, but now that it will need to be demolished, they’ll have to find a new place to worship.

Here is a map showing the approximate location of the collapse:

"I’m real glad I wasn’t on the property at the time. Life is good and I want to stay as long as I can,” Ramey said.

Tillman said insurance will cover some of the damage, but not all of it.

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