[Updated] Reader report: Partial building collapse on East 8th Street; unconfirmed report of a fatality

Several EVG readers have passed along word of a partial collapse at the under-renovation townhouse at 356 E. Eighth St. There is an unconfirmed report that one of the workers at the site was killed in the collapse that occurred earlier today, according to the super of a building on the block between Avenue C and Avenue D.

As of 2 p.m., a reader reported that the site is cordoned off... with building and police officials on hand.

There isn't any other information available at the moment. We'll update as necessary.

As previously reported, the vacant townhouse had been on and off the market in recent years (here and here). The most recent listing pitched the space for "high-end apartments or a luxury home."

Recently approved work permits show that the existing 4-level structure will receive two new floors and a mezzanine. Here's the all-cap DOB recap of the permit:

FILED HEREWITH PLANS AND APPLICATIONS TO ADD A SIX STORY HORIZONTAL REAR ENLARGEMENT AND A THREE STORY + MEZZANINE VERTICAL ENLARGEMENT WITH SIX FAMILIES TO AN EXISTING FOUR STORY, THREE FAMILY BUILDING.

[EVG photo from September]

The owner is an LLC with a Kew Gardens address, according to DOB paperwork.

Here's a photo of the house from 2014...



Updated 12/25

The city has issued a Full Vacate on the address... "due to stability concerns," according to the DOB website...



The Firemen's Garden next to the property has also been hit with a Full Vacate...





As for the report from a neighboring super about a worker fatality... we have not heard anything further about this. There is a candle at the scene now. Someone wrote "May the Lord be with you now and forever."



According to the DOB website, the FDNY ordered the inspection after a worker fell from the third to first floor.

Updated 12/27

There is a new chalk message outside the site ... along with more candles...



"May God Bless your soul eternally. Godspeed."

Updated 1/11

A reliable source says that the construction worker who died was a 33-year-old man from El Salvador, a married father of five. The accident happened around 11 a.m., and the man died later that afternoon at a hospital. According to the source, workers were demolishing the existing rear wall when a large chunk of masonry broke off and somehow landed on the scaffolding the was on and he fell.

Displaced East 13th Street residents hope to return home today after chimney collpase

As we first reported, a chimney collapse Sunday evening around 8 at 528 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B forced many residents out of the building...

[EV Grieve reader Deanne Draeger]

Residents are hopeful that they can return home today. One thing that could prevent this from happening: the fire escape, which building management said may have been "compromised" following the collapse.

The evacuation is only for the 10 units in the back of the building. Those residents who live in apartments facing East 13th Street have been able to stay.

[Via EV Grieve reader Ilena]

We asked building resident Sarah Laskow a few questions via email about her experiences, when a quiet evening at home becomes an apartment full of firefighters.

"I first thought a building had fallen down, maybe a few blocks away, and for a minute I thought it was another earthquake," Laskow said. "They were doing some work on the back of the building and I checked to see if the scaffolding had fallen. It was still up."

A firefighter later pointed out the chimney from her fifth-floor window. The top portion of the chimney had fallen, though a portion of it still remained connected to the building. Oops. Actually, the bottom portion of the chimney had fallen out — not the top.

Regardless, per the DOB, the residents in the back of the building needed to leave. The Red Cross was providing a place for any displaced residents to stay.

"We had a chance to get our stuff together — they weren't rushing us out," she said. "But a bunch of firefighters were coming into our apartment, so we left pretty quickly."

She made the best of the situation. (For instance, going to Table 12 on Avenue A for a vanilla milkshake.)

"It's disorienting not to be allowed to stay in our apartment, especially since the building itself seems OK at this point," Laskow said. "But it's also somewhat reassuring that the city is making sure it's safe to return."

Chimney collapse at 528 E. 13th St.

Several readers have told us about a chimney collapse at 528 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B around 8:30 tonight...

Witnesses said that everyone is OK... however, residents who live in the rear of the building will have to spend tonight (and perhaps a few other nights too) elsewhere... the Red Cross was going to put anyone up who needed it... One resident described the noise as "sounding like an earthquake."

The following photos are from EV Grieve reader Deanne Draeger...

According to the DOB, there have been three complaints against the building... In September 1997, "EAST WALLOUT OF PLUMP REAR YARD CHIMNEY PULLING AWAY FROM BLDG. BROKEN SHAFT."

On Oct. 8, 2010 — "BRICK CHIMNEY SEPARATING" ... and Sept. 22, 2010, "FAILURE TO MAINTAIN BUILDING WALL. NOTED: STRUCTURAL STRESS CRACKS AT NUMEROUS LOCATIONS ON ALL FLOORS OF EAST ELEVATION."

According to the DOB, Crisari Realty is the owner.