Providence building collapses as owner records video of leaks inside
PROVIDENCE, RI - Fire inspectors were back at the scene of a building collapse in Providence Tuesday in pouring rain for a second day. It had given-in to the weight of Monday's rainstorm.
The building's owner, who was inside a portion of the building that held up, shared a video he recorded on his phone as it happened. Jerry Batista's voice can be heard in the background as the ceiling collapses and the room suddenly goes dark. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!"
Even though no one was hurt, it's still a heartbreaker for Batista. He's been working with his family to turn the building into a strip mall. "We grew up down the street, so this has been like a passion project for us to improve the neighborhood," he said. "It's a big set-back for us. You know there's no way around that, but we're still pushing on."
The Labor Day flooding stunned holiday travelers in Providence. Part of Interstate 95 shut down, leaving some drivers stranded for hours.
The rain did not let-up Tuesday, pouring over a crater that formed when water caused a section of pavement on Atwells Avenue to buckle up. "A lot of flooded cars," said tow truck driver Marcus Fornwalt. "A lot of…dead alternators, cars that have just gone through the water and didn't survive," he said.
At Brown University, about 30 students were forced to evacuate basement dorm rooms. "Everyone just ended up sleeping in other people's dorm rooms on the floor," said student Bridget Kennedy-Bailey. "They basically just told the students to find a place to stay tonight, but a lot of the students just got here and don't really know people," she said.
A spokesperson for Brown said clean-up crews are working to pump the water out and get the students back in their room as soon as possible.