Chattanooga: Building collapses on M.L. King Boulevard this morning

Thursday, November 1, 2012

photo Two vehicles were destroyed after a building collapsed at the former Liberty Bail Bonds and A&L Novelty Shop building off of M.L.King Blvd. early this morning.
photo A building at 326 Martin Luther King Blvd., partially collapsed this morning onto adjacent buildings. Officials at the scene said there didn't believe anyone was inside, but they could not be certain. The collapsed building had fallen against the building at 328 MLK, "Salon thirty-A." Traffic on MLK has been rerouted.

Emergency officials are on the scene this morning at 326 Martin Luther King Boulevard after a building collapsed on the south side of the road between King and Foster streets.

photo Earlier file photo from 2010 shows work as Tower Construction was aiming at rehabbing the building at 326 Martin Luther King Blvd.

Officals at the scene said they don't believe anyone was inside, but they were not certain. The collapse was discovered around 8 a.m.

The building, which has no signs on it and appears not to have been occupied recently, collapsed at the rear on top of cars parked behind it and to the east.

On the east side of the 326 building, part of the two-story wall was leaning against the 328 building, "Salon thirty-A," which did not appear to have serious damage yet.

Officials were blocking off King Boulevard, Fisher and King Streets as crews moved in around 8:45 a.m. to begin shoring up the collapsing structure.

Traffic is being rerouted.