LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — People here are counting their blessings after windy weather Thursday caused a wall to cave-in at one of the town’s historic downtown buildings.
The collapse happened during the noon hour when workers rehabbing the building had just left to take their lunch break.
The building is part of the Great Western Stove complex in downtown Leavenworth. A construction crew is in the process of converting one of these buildings into loft apartments. Witnesses tell FOX 4 News the weather was nasty at lunch-time Thursday. Wind, with rain, sleet and snow blowing as bricks came raining down from the east wall of the building.
Workers say a section of the roof had been removed as part of the rehab, allowing a microburst of wind to push out that east wall.
“There was a big rumble that sounded like lots of wood falling,” said Rick Cook, who witnessed the collapse. “You could hear it hitting floor to floor to floor as it fell.”
No one was inside the building at the time of the collapase. Sometimes workers would take their breaks outside on the street. Witnesses say it was lucky no one was hurt. The city has put up additional barricades and widened the construction zone in case there’s another collapse.
Foutch Brothers, the developer, says it will rebuild the structure and plans to turn this building into studio apartments, despite the damage. The building could be open for tenants by the end of the year.
