Building collapse at Porter and North streets in Kalamazoo. (Rebecca Russell)
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Strong winds could be to blame for causing two walls of a dilapidated, vacant building to collapse Sunday evening.
The building—located at the corner of Porter and North streets on Kalamazoo’s northside—has been in disrepair for years, according to Kalamazoo police. The roof has also been caved in for several years.
Strong wind gusts throughout the day Sunday caused thousands of power outages across West Michigan.
The collapse of two of the building’s walls also took out nearby power lines, leaving roughly 400 in the area without electricity.
Photo of the building prior to the collapse (Google Maps).
Nearby roads will also remain closed so workers can remove fallen debris. According to police, the area generally has minimal traffic.
No one was believed to be inside the building when the walls collapsed. No injuries have been reported.
Police said power to the downed lines has been cut so crews can work to repair them.
