Myrtle Ave. Building That Collapsed Had History of Complaints About Crack

A four-story building at 493 Myrtle Ave. in Fort Greene (not far from Pratt Institute) collapsed around 2 p.m. this afternoon and five residents barely escaped with their lives. One person was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

The NY Daily News reports that the collapse "triggered a massive emergency response, as firefighters dug through the rubble to make sure that no one was trapped underneath."

The NY Times Fort Greene Blog reported that the collapse also badly damaged the apartment building next door at 491 Myrtle: "Councilwoman Letitia James, who was at the scene, said that it would have to be demolished. All told, at least 14 people were left homeless."

Notify NYC didn't send out a notice until 7:59 p.m. (thanks for the timely alert, NYC) that Myrtle Ave. was closed between Ryerson and Hall Streets.

This Google maps pre-collapse photo shows the building with a big crack running down the side (that's the Vesper bar on the ground floor). The New York City Dept. of Buildings shows several complaints over the years regarding the crack, including one on May 1.

Back in 1997, a complaint was filed by someone who said the building had cracks and was "shaking and vibrating." The inspector didn't observe any cracks, shaking or vibrating at the time of inspection.

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