Part of a large building that was once an anchor of the sprawling Reading Outlet Center complex came crumbling down Thursday.<\/p>\n
Rescue crews were dispatched shortly before 11:30 a.m. to the reported collapse at North Ninth and Douglass streets in the city’s old outlet district.<\/p>\n
“Inside working and all of a sudden I just heard a big boom,” said Harry Barton. “It feels sort of like a small earthquake.”<\/p>\n
The first crews on the scene found that the southwest corner of the former outlet center’s five-story Building 1 had collapsed, causing bricks and other debris to fall onto the streets below.<\/p>\n
“Good thing nobody was walking through here or driving,” Barton said. “It could have been very tragic, especially with somebody walking by here. This is a very busy road.”<\/p>\n
No one was injured, but at least a dozen cars in the area were damaged by the falling debris, according to fire officials on the scene.<\/p>\n
“Not a lot of damage, considering the whole building fell,” said Joel Fischer, whose car was damaged by the collapse. “There’s only some dents here and there.”<\/p>\n
The collapse also brought down utility poles and wires.<\/p>\n
North Ninth and Douglass streets in the area of the collapse will likely remain closed for the next couple days for cleanup, city officials told 69 News.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, a large perimeter has been set up around the building to keep onlookers at a safe distance.<\/p>\n
“There’s… freestanding areas that we are concerned about,” said Jeremy Searfoss, Reading’s fire marshal.<\/p>\n
Crews are knocking down additional parts of the damaged building. @69News<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/UP1I8kctyT<\/a><\/p>\n