Photos from 'pancake collapse' at Watergate parking garage
Three floors of the parking garage at the Watergate, the D.C. hotel and office building made famous by the Nixon wiretapping scandal — and after which most political scandals are now named — fell Friday morning in what firefighters are calling a "pancake collapse."
The breakdown may have been caused by construction, which some employees in the Watergate's office building have reportedly complained about for months.
Structural Collapse - 2600blk of Virginia Ave. NW - Units on scene. #dctraffic
— DC Fire and EMS (@dcfireems) May 1, 2015
Parts of the complex — which houses offices for the Atlantic magazine, a liquor store, grocery store, restaurants, doctors' offices and other businesses in addition to apartments and, of course, the infamous hotel — have been evacuated, while firefighters and EMS responders assess the damage and search for anyone who may be trapped. So far, only one injury has been reported.
Outside the building, local news reporters and displaced Watergate dwellers documented the damage via social media. One Fox 5 DC reporter even reported live from the scene live via Periscope.
#watergate garage collapse. That Mazda to the left is our ride. Photo by @_minhtran pic.twitter.com/YElp3jgk3d
— Elliott Munoz (@elliottmunoz) May 1, 2015
#Breaking #FOX5DC Construction worker at Watergate being told to clear sidewalks after parking garage collapse #dc pic.twitter.com/zzkTWbJQxm
— Tom Fitzgerald (@FitzFox5DC) May 1, 2015
Came back from an hour long meeting downtown to find my office building collapsed. Oops. #watergate pic.twitter.com/6AJiR9O6NW
— Gabriel Muller (@gabrmuller) May 1, 2015
#BreakingNews #FOX5C Photos from inside #DC #Watergate parking garage collapse. pic.twitter.com/urDeB5gKOe
— Tom Fitzgerald (@FitzFox5DC) May 1, 2015
More on that structure collapse within the Watergate garage http://t.co/ZY9j5rMz7F pic.twitter.com/39ZST9kRrU
— WAMU 88.5 News (@wamu885news) May 1, 2015
Watergate garage collapses in Northwest DC; at least one person missing - Washington Post http://t.co/62x0J0qXEx pic.twitter.com/BqEvpQysHa
— #SocialMedia NC (@greensboro_nc) May 1, 2015
At least 1 hurt MT @malbertnews: Famed #Watergate hotel garage collapses, @CBSNews rpts;: http://t.co/3cijC68nuA pic.twitter.com/YYmMVQqGsR
— Russ Ptacek, WUSA9 (@RussPtacek) May 1, 2015