PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Several people have been forced out of their homes after part of a Southwest Philadelphia church collapsed on Sunday.
The roof and one wall of Greater Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, located at 56th Street and Woodland Avenue in Kingsessing, crashed down hours after the Sunday service.
Jamie Barrett works across the street from the church and watched in real time as part of its roof fell to the ground.
“I heard it shaking and rumbling. It sounded like an earthquake, so that’s immediately what I thought, but then I saw the debris and the bricks flying,” she said.
“The pastor actually had that roof serviced last year, and the building is really old. A lot of buildings are falling apart no matter how much they get serviced.”
No one was in the church at the time of the collapse, and no injuries were reported.
However, several neighboring homes were evacuated over safety concerns. The American Red Cross is helping the families who have been affected.
The building will likely have to be demolished, but there’s no word yet from the Department of Licenses and Inspections.