what do you know
- A three-story home containing a Key Food Pizza venue and at least one apartment collapsed Wednesday morning.
- A neighbor shared a photo of a cloud of dust moments after it collapsed on East York and Memphis streets.
- There were no reports of injuries.
A home that housed a longtime pizzeria collapsed into a cloud of dust on a Philadelphia street corner Wednesday morning, spreading debris down two streets.
A spokesman for the Philadelphia Fire Department said the collapse occurred around 9:45 a.m. on East York and Memphis streets. Neighbors and local businesses call the area Fishtown.
Neighbor “Devonte” For Miguel Martinez Valle from NBC10 He was driving in York when he heard a gurgle and saw a cloud of dust approaching his car.
A fire department spokesman said firefighters arrived to find the three-storey building “totally collapsed”.
As the SkyForce10 hovered in the sky, you could see bricks, dirt and debris on the ground with firefighters and police officers on the scene. Firefighters were seen sifting through the debris.
Key Food Pizza Owner Stefano said the business has been from the corner of the property for many years.
The Philadelphia Police and Fire Department said ground floor work was closed at the time of the collapse and there was an apartment above it. No one is hurt.
“We are proud Fishtown,” said the owner of the destroyed building. He said his parents started working. “I am very sad for my family.”
He said if the meltdown had only happened 30 minutes, or so, later, the worker inside could have been getting pizza before business opened at 11 a.m.
The owner said there was a lot of recent construction work nearby.
Police said at least six fire engines, permits and city inspections responded to the scene.
The location is right across the street from Tina’s Tacos.
An excavator was brought in to remove some of the wreckage around 11:30 a.m. The crew was also turned back due to the smell of gas in the area.
The cause of the collapse is still under investigation.
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