Salem Building in Danger of Collapsing

Friday AM Update: The northbound lanes of Front Street between Commercial St. and Court St. will be closed throughout the day. The closure includes Beal's parking structure.

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - A large crack in an old abandoned building in Salem has a street closed down and firefighters on scene keeping people at bay. They have also evacuated a nearby building which could also be in danger.

Salem Fire's Public Information Officer Bill Holmstrom, says that around 6:00 PM, they were notified by a contractor from a construction site at the corner of Front Street NE and Court Street NE, who stated that the vacant building next to them had large cracks in it.

Holmstrom says it appears the cracks have occurred due to excavation of a nearby property, a new 9-story condo building under construction.

Salem firefighters responded to the area and soon after closed Front Street from Court Street to State Street.

"A large crack on the north side of the building was noticed by firefighters," Holmstrom says, and it wasn't the only one, adding that there was, "also another large crack on the west side of this two-story vacant building."

"Precautions were taken and one person from Beal's Printing was evacuated until City of Salem Structural Engineer could determine if it was safe to occupy."

He says city of Salem officials determined that there is a chance of collapse of the vacant structure, but they felt the building next to it was not in danger at this time.

The northbound lanes of Front Street between Commercial St. and Court St. will be closed throughout the day. The closure includes Beal's parking structure.

State transportation officials say that at the request of the City of Salem, they have set up detours diverting traffic from Front Street SE near State Street. The length of closure is unknown at this time. Expect minor delays. Motorists are advised to take alternate routes.