One person was killed and two others are believed to be missing after a parking garage under construction partially collapsed Wednesday afternoon in South Philadelphia, triggering a large‑scale rescue and recovery operation that continued into the evening.
A union representative for Iron Worker Local 401 told NBC10 that one of its members had died at the scene.
The collapse was reported shortly after 2 p.m. at a seven‑story parking garage on the 3000 block of Grays Ferry Avenue, according to the Philadelphia Fire Department. Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson told multiple outlets, including 6ABC and CBS Philadelphia, that firefighters arrived to find the structure severely compromised, with debris concentrated on lower levels of the building.
One individual was pulled from the rubble and rushed to a nearby hospital, where authorities said the person later died from injuries. Thompson said two additional people are believed to be unaccounted for. Search‑and‑rescue efforts began immediately but have been slowed by concerns about structural stability. The search was still ongoing as of 7:25 p.m. ET Wednesday.
“We have the right people on location to get this job done,” Thompson told Philadelphia news outlets. “It’s going to take some time because we must, we have to stabilize this building for the safety of everyone involved, especially my rescuers. And it is an ongoing operation.”
Officials said rescue teams have been focusing on lower sections of the garage, possibly near a stairwell or elevator shaft. Heavy equipment was brought in as engineers worked to shore up the structure before crews could safely continue searching the debris.
Newsweek reached out to the Philadelphia Fire Department via email on Wednesday afternoon for comment.
Philadelphia Parking Garage Collapse Investigation: What to Know
The cause of the collapse has not yet been determined, and city officials stressed that the investigation is still in its early stages. The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections confirmed to CBS Philadelphia that inspectors were dispatched to the scene to begin a review of the construction site and permitting records.
The parking garage was being built as part of a major expansion project for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to increase employee parking. The project has faced months of opposition from neighborhood groups in Grays Ferry, who raised concerns about traffic, environmental impact and air quality.
NBC10 reported that community protests took place earlier this year, though officials said it is too soon to determine whether any construction issues contributed to Wednesday’s collapse.
Police closed Grays Ferry Avenue and surrounding streets for several blocks as emergency crews worked, creating traffic disruptions throughout the area. Officials urged residents to avoid the site while operations continued.
City officials said additional updates will be provided as rescue operations continue and investigators work to determine what caused the structure to fail.
Updates: 4/8/26, 7:21 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information and remarks.