The incident happened around 6:30 a.m. on the first block of Levering Street.
Once fire crews arrived — they reportedly found that the back side of the three-story row home had collapsed.
Neighbors say they woke up to the sound of a crash, and then they heard the sirens.
Surrounding homes had to evacuate as firefighters searched the debris.
“There was this huge crash. It was like a sliding rumble, just a giant noise, and it only lasted about two seconds,” said neighbor Thomas Gartside.
While the sound was a shock, he says the collapse is not surprising.
“This house hasn’t been maintained, and then there was part of the house that was all deteriorated,” he added. “There was even like a giant weed or tree growing out of the house.”
Firefighters in the rescue unit used cameras and listening devices to search the debris.
Officials confirm that no one was injured in the collapse, and the homeowner wasn’t there.
“I was concerned that everything was going to overflow into my yard as well, the debris, everything, the whole back side of the house is wide open,” said neighbor Bryan Volek.
Dave Bass, who also lives nearby, said, “I didn’t even realize it was this house because from the front you couldn’t see anything, but they’re old homes built on a hill. It happens.”
It appears the attached rowhomes have damage as well.
Neighbors hope the mess is addressed quickly.
“It’s a pretty well-maintained block. It’s just the one house, the one weak link on the block,” said Gartside.
L&I has declared the property structurally unsound. The homeowner has 30 days to demolish or repair the home.
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