PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A row home partially collapsed in North Philadelphia Monday morning as a demolition crew was working on a vacant lot next door, according to residents.
Around 9:50 a.m., a house on the 2100 block of North Ninth Street partially collapsed, injuring one person. Neighbors said the victim was one of the construction workers.
The individual was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
The cause of the collapse is under investigation.
Elaine Thomas was in the house when it collapsed. Shortly beforehand, she said crew members knocked on her door to let her know they would be working on the vacant lot next door. Then, she heard loud banging.
“Boom — everything came down,” she said.
One side of Elaine’s home collapsed to the ground, leaving only parts of the other side standing. Officials on site told her the home could not be saved.
Her son, Jesse Thomas, said he’s grateful he got her to safety.
“Everything came down on me and I got us to the door,” he said. “I took her across the street and everything came out again — boom, boom, boom, boom.”
Officials told Elaine her home could not be saved. The Red Cross will help them relocate.