Building collapse closes section of Main Street in a North Carolina town, police say
A building collapsed in North Carolina, forcing a town to close a section of its Main Street, officials said.
The damage was reported on Monday, Sept. 5 in Youngsville, a Franklin County town roughly 25 miles northeast of Raleigh.
The town’s police department and news outlets report that the second floor gave way at the former site of Griffin’s Restaurant. The business closed in 2020, WRAL and WNCN reported.
The building had stood on Main Street, also known as State Highway 96. A stretch of the road is shut down until further notice, officials said.
“Crews are on scene, attempting to determine how to stabilize the structure and open the roadway,” police wrote just before 10:30 a.m. “Pedestrians should avoid the cordoned areas near the structure and follow emergency services personnel on scene as directed.”
But later, officials in a post said the building had to be torn down.
“The old Griffins building has had a structural failure and was razed to remove the likelihood of falling on people on Highway 96,” the town wrote on Facebook. “We all miss some great meals, conversations, and folks there!”
Photos posted online show a pile of debris next to construction equipment.
The town and its police department didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on Sept. 5.
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