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| 3-Story Building in Brooklyn That Housed Gym Suddenly Collapses | 3-Story Building in Brooklyn That Housed Gym Suddenly Collapses |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A three-story building in Brooklyn suddenly collapsed on Wednesday afternoon, sending debris hurling onto surrounding sidewalks and terrifying passers-by. | A three-story building in Brooklyn suddenly collapsed on Wednesday afternoon, sending debris hurling onto surrounding sidewalks and terrifying passers-by. |
| Firefighters were combing through the wreckage of the building, which housed the Body Elite Gym at the corner of Court and Union Streets. The Fire Department said that one person had suffered a minor injury. The gym had been closed for months during the pandemic, neighbors said. | Firefighters were combing through the wreckage of the building, which housed the Body Elite Gym at the corner of Court and Union Streets. The Fire Department said that one person had suffered a minor injury. The gym had been closed for months during the pandemic, neighbors said. |
| Emergency personnel were treating a man who did not appear to be seriously injured in an ambulance near the scene of the collapse in the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn. No other buildings, including a grocery store next door, appeared to be damaged. | |
| “I’m just shaking like crazy," said Robert Alimena, the owner of Body Elite Gym, who has been in California while the gym was closed. “The building is so thick, like five or six bricks thick, so I cannot imagine what would actually trigger this chain reaction.” | “I’m just shaking like crazy," said Robert Alimena, the owner of Body Elite Gym, who has been in California while the gym was closed. “The building is so thick, like five or six bricks thick, so I cannot imagine what would actually trigger this chain reaction.” |
| Since 2005, inspectors with the city’s Department of Buildings have issued at least eight fines to the building’s owner for large cracks throughout the property, including a 40-foot “bulge” on the wall facing Union Street, according to city records. | Since 2005, inspectors with the city’s Department of Buildings have issued at least eight fines to the building’s owner for large cracks throughout the property, including a 40-foot “bulge” on the wall facing Union Street, according to city records. |
| The most recent fine was just a few weeks ago, on June 10, when inspectors found three large “masonry openings” along that wall and said that the side was “dangerously bulging and disintegrating.” The owner was given a $5,000 fine in June, which has not been paid. | The most recent fine was just a few weeks ago, on June 10, when inspectors found three large “masonry openings” along that wall and said that the side was “dangerously bulging and disintegrating.” The owner was given a $5,000 fine in June, which has not been paid. |
| The property owner, Kihyo Park, did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment. | The property owner, Kihyo Park, did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment. |
| “D.O.B. engineers and inspectors are on scene investigating the building collapse in Brooklyn,” an agency spokesman said on Wednesday. | “D.O.B. engineers and inspectors are on scene investigating the building collapse in Brooklyn,” an agency spokesman said on Wednesday. |
| Mr. Alimena said that Mr. Park recently started repairs on the building to fix the cracks and the bulge. He said he was told that the bulge was a cosmetic issue that did not require extensive repairs. | Mr. Alimena said that Mr. Park recently started repairs on the building to fix the cracks and the bulge. He said he was told that the bulge was a cosmetic issue that did not require extensive repairs. |
| “It was supposed to be routine exterior work,” he said, adding that he was returning to New York City on Thursday to survey the damage. | “It was supposed to be routine exterior work,” he said, adding that he was returning to New York City on Thursday to survey the damage. |
| Inside Marco Polo, an Italian restaurant directly across from the gym, Roberto Roquel, 28, was cleaning tables when he heard a thundering boom. Looking out the front windows, he saw a plume of dust rising from where the gym building had stood and scattering across the entire block. | Inside Marco Polo, an Italian restaurant directly across from the gym, Roberto Roquel, 28, was cleaning tables when he heard a thundering boom. Looking out the front windows, he saw a plume of dust rising from where the gym building had stood and scattering across the entire block. |
| “The dust and smoke was as high as the building,” Mr. Roquel said. “The street was covered in dust. Everything was covered.” | “The dust and smoke was as high as the building,” Mr. Roquel said. “The street was covered in dust. Everything was covered.” |
| Afraid more debris could crash into the restaurant, he sprinted out the back entrance, he said. | Afraid more debris could crash into the restaurant, he sprinted out the back entrance, he said. |
| Anne Barnard and Christina Goldbaum contributed reporting, and Sheelagh McNeill contributed research. | Anne Barnard and Christina Goldbaum contributed reporting, and Sheelagh McNeill contributed research. |