A partial building collapse at a Family Dollar store in Kansas City, Missouri, killed a 68-year-old man and left a 50-year-old woman in critical condition Sunday afternoon, according to local authorities.
Newsweek reached out to the Kansas City Fire Department (KCFD), Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) and Family Dollar via email on Sunday for comment.
The Context
This fatal building collapse raises serious questions about structural safety oversight and building inspection protocols in Kansas City.
The incident highlights potential gaps in monitoring many aging commercial structures and the effectiveness of current reporting systems for structural concerns.
What To Know
The Kansas City Fire Department responded to the collapse at approximately 2:45 p.m. local time on Sunday. According to officials, the 68-year-old victim may have been walking past the building when the facade gave way. The seriously injured woman remains hospitalized in critical condition.
The collapse affected the store’s roof and front facade, particularly around what appeared to be the main customer entrance. The extent of the structural damage has rendered the building unsafe, though authorities have not yet determined the underlying cause of the failure.
Significantly, local station KMBC-TV reported that public inspection records, which someone had brought to light on Friday, indicated the building had begun “slowly tilting” – just two days before the fatal collapse.
KCFD Battalion Chief Mike Hopkins told reporters during a press conference that he didn’t have recent information relating to when the building was last inspected. He added that the department plans to investigate the retail store’s records to see if any reports were made in the past about the building’s structural integrity.
What People Are Saying
KCFD Battalion Chief Mike Hopkins confirmed all injuries occurred on the exterior of the structure during Sunday’s press conference: “We found that part of the facade of the Family Dollar had collapsed off the building. At the time we were told we had four patients. Three of those patients, one of them was transported with significant injuries but in stable, non-life-threatening condition. Two were treated here on-scene and refused further treatment and were released. Unfortunately, we did have one fatality. That fatality is a male individual.”
Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
What Happens Next?
Investigators from the KCPD will work to determine the exact cause of the structural failure, particularly examining whether the reported tilting observed Friday should have triggered immediate safety measures.
Officials say Broadway remains closed between 36th Street to 38th Street while the investigation remains underway and public works removes debris from the roadway. Drivers should expect lane closures for safety reasons in the same locations until the building can be secured.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.