1 Rescued After Partial Collapse In Connellsville
CONNELLSVILLE (KDKA) -- Rescue crews in Connellsville had to free a man who was trapped after a four-story building partially collapsed Monday.
The building, in the 100 block of South Pittsburgh Street, was vacant and the owner was in the process of tearing it down. However, last week's wind storm knocked some of it down, forcing part of the street to be closed.
The owner, Brian Upton, was working inside on the fourth floor, knocking down some bricks on the structure's facade when Connellsville Fire Chief Bob Topper says the top floor collapsed to the third and then down to the second.
It left Upton trapped under bricks, debris and plasterboard.
Chief Topper says rescue crews had to carefully shore up the second floor before they could go inside to rescue Upton. They delivered a basket through a second story window, freed Upton, got him to a stairwell and carried him down to a waiting ambulance.
Upton was reportedly talking to rescuers the whole time. He is listed in good condition at UPMC Presbyterian.
An emergency demolition of the building has now been scheduled for Tuesday morning. Mayor Charles Matthews says it could cost a considerable amount of money, but it has to be done.
A doctor's office will have to relocate during the demolition and a business across the street has boarded up its windows for protection.
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