NEW LONDON, Conn — The roof of a historic church in New London caved in Thursday afternoon, leaving a gaping hole in the center of the structure.
The collapse took place at the former First Congregational Church on 66 Union St. The church occupying the space is Engaging Heaven Church. They posted on their Facebook page that everyone was accounted for, and there were no injuries.
Witnesses said the collapse happened around 1:30 p.m. and emergency crews quickly responded, asking residents to steer clear of the area.
Photos from a witness showed what appeared to be a partial collapse of the building. Another photo showed a plume of smoke over one of the streets.
That was confirmed in a 5 p.m. press conference with New London Mayor Michael Passero.
"You can count the luck in this a million ways," said Passero. "(Some) 300 years ago, Benedict Arnold burned New London to the ground, we survived that, we'll survive this."
Passero said crews are expected to be at the scene all night. State and local building inspectors were examining the debris and the remaining structure, to determine their next move. Officials will have to examine the structure's safety as it stands now before crews can inspect it closer.
Crews were also checking other buildings in the area. A building next door is a Connecticut College dorm. Students there have been evacuated and are being put up in a nearby hotel. Although there didn't appear to be any structural damage to their building, the students are expected to be housed in the hotel through the weekend.
The mayor said demolition contractors were standing by. The steeples will need to be taken down, and they expect that the building will be a total loss.
One woman was escorted out of the building by emergency crews following the collapse. She told firefighters that there was no one else inside.
The mayor said there was no indication of a problem with the building. While the structure undergoes regular fire inspections, there are no routine structural inspections performed.
While there is no indication of contaminants on the scene, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection considers the site to be contaminated until proven otherwise, said Passero. No debris fell outside the property lines. An addition built after the main church is also considered to be unusable.
The mayor said nothing will be able to replace the church in the city skyline.
Connecticut Emergency Management Urban Search and Rescue, Connecticut Task Force 1 teams area working with specially trained K9 units continue to search the rubble.
Brenda de los Santos, who owns a business near the church, said the collapse caused a huge amount of dust and debris into the air.
"It was pretty scary looking," she told FOX61 News. "I have a niece and nephew who go to the middle school right next to that church and it was very scary."
She added: "It looked just like an apocalypse movie. It's not something you want to see in the everyday course of life."
Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement that he is in touch with emergency management officials and they have deployed state emergency services personnel and equipment to assist in response efforts.
"I urge everyone in the area to follow the direction of law enforcement and other first responders who are working to keep the community safe," he said.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, who represents the district that includes New London, said he spoke with Mayor Michael Passero, who "described a strong, thorough effort by first responders.
"Our office will continue to monitor developments and we stand ready to help if federal assistance is needed," he said.
The church, located at 66 Union Street, is next to the New London probate court and City Hall.
The building, a longtime landmark in the Whaling City, was first constructed in 1850. It was sold in 2015 to the Engaging Heaven Church.
New London church collapse
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