An abandoned furniture store in Queens partially collapsed Friday evening, sending bricks tumbling down from the roof and crushing a minivan parked in front of the building. Andrew Siff reports.
An abandoned furniture store in Queens partially collapsed Friday evening, sending bricks tumbling down from the roof and crushing a minivan parked in front of the building.
The roof of the building at 78-19 Jamaica Ave. in Woodhaven gave way and collapsed onto the second story of the building, which was already under a partial vacate order, according to a Department of Buildings spokeswoman.
The collapse was a close call for Gary Gonzalez, who had been in the minivan just minutes earlier.
"I would not be alive right now," he said, observing the car was "pretty banged up."
"I'm glad I wasn't there."
At least 25 units from the FDNY responded, and firefighters quickly determined no one had been hurt.
The rumble was heard up and down the busy stretch of Queens just as people were coming home from work.
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"Out of nowhere, I heard all this ruckus, and all these bricks falling down," said witness Ramy Cruz.
Department of Buildings spokeswoman Gloria Chin said the building has 11 Environmental Control Board violations, 9 of which remain open, with a total of $18,000 in fines. The fines were for failure to maintain, work without a permit, illegal plumbing and structural stability issues, all issued in 2012.
A vacate order has been put in place at the building.
J train service in the area was interrupted for about two hours as authorities responded. It has since resumed.
