Apartment building partially collapses in Passaic; no injuries reported

Residents say they heard a loud noise and then the three-story building shook and began to collapse.

Matt Trapani and Naomi Yané

Mar 15, 2024, 2:11 AM

Updated 253 days ago

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A building in Passaic partially collapsed with people inside, according to city officials. The building is located at the corner of President and Allen streets. Residents tell News 12 they felt the moment the building began to buckle.
Residents say the collapse happened between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday. They say they heard a loud noise and then the three-story building shook and began to collapse.
The building has apartments and a restaurant on the ground floor. People could be seen removing items from the restaurant. Residents who were inside said the walls were noticeably cracked and uneven.
One resident told News 12 that his family has lived in the building for 25 years. He says they have never experienced anything like this before.
“I heard like a big noise, it was shaking. At first, I thought it was like an earthquake, so we ran out fast,” says David Flores.
“My mom was cooking in the kitchen. She heard a knock on the door like, ‘We got to go. We’re being kicked out because the building is collapsing,’ so we started packing up and trying to get out of there,” says resident Yamilet Gonzalez.
No injuries have been reported. Officials say the families will not be able to return until it is determined that the building is safe.