Community response grows after Fulton building collapse
Mitchell Kaminski
FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ)
Downtown Fulton businesses remain closed and a block of Nichols Street is expected to stay shut down through the weekend after part of a historic building collapsed Wednesday morning, exposing a second-floor apartment and forcing evacuations.
No injuries were reported in the collapse, but businesses remain displaced and the residents who lived in the apartment above lost their home.
In an update on Thursday, the Fulton Fire Department said property owners are working to secure a structural engineer to conduct a detailed assessment and determine what caused the collapse.
For safety reasons, officials said the 500 block of Nichols Street will remain closed throughout the weekend. Police have asked people to avoid the area and stay outside barricaded zones.
Fulton Police Chief Bill Ladwig said the street could reopen early next week, depending on the results of the structural review.
Ladwig also said firefighters rescued “two or three” cats Thursday from the apartment affected by the collapse.
Property records identify the building owner as Ravelo Commercial Rentals LLC. County records show the building was constructed in 1900, making it 126 years old.
The collapse sent debris into a coffee shop below, Hitchin’ Java, that was set to open this week and exposed a second-floor apartment.
Businesses surrounding the collapse continued to assess damage Thursday.
Jazzy’s Sweets N Treats announced in a Thursday morning social media post that it expects to remain closed for at least two weeks while waiting for a structural engineer’s assessment.
In the post, the business thanked customers for support and said neighboring businesses including Hitchin’ Java and Makeup & Esthetics by Sylv were also impacted.
The business also said a woman who lived in the apartment lost all of her belongings in the collapse.
Hitchin’ Java previously said equipment inside the storefront, including an espresso machine and generator, was damaged, delaying the coffee shop’s planned opening.
But despite the collapse, one business owner says that they remain confident in the future of downtown.
Seth Weinger, part-owner of Fulton Untethered on Clark Street, said he and his partners purchased their building about two-and-a-half years ago and held a soft opening in January. Fulton Untethered leases office space and bedrooms for people looking to work in Fulton.
Weinger said he does not believe the age of the building alone explains the collapse, adding that most of the infrastructure in Fulton has “good bones.”
Officials have not identified a cause of the collapse. But both Weinger and Audra Grey, who was living in the apartment that caved in, said that crews were working on repairs on the lower level.
Weinger said building upkeep is part of maintaining historic downtown properties and does not believe the old buildings pose a risk.
“We’ve eaten breakfast in that building for a long time. There was some things that needed to be done, like any building, you got to keep up with the bricks. You got to keep up with the floors. You got to make sure you spray for bugs,” Weinger said. “Accidents happen. That’s an anomaly.”
As recovery efforts continue, Weinger said community members and business owners have stepped in to support those affected.
The Fulton Brick District also issued a statement Thursday saying it was thankful no one suffered serious injuries and it remains in contact with affected businesses and residents to provide assistance.
The organization thanked emergency responders, the City of Fulton, Glove Con, Inc., and Rhad Baker Construction LLC for helping secure the area following the collapse.
Weinger said he hopes attention remains on the broader momentum downtown rather than the collapse itself.
“I’ve always loved living in smaller communities. And it’s just it’s a shame that when people see something about a community that they see the bad news,” Weinger said. “That’s not what Fulton is. Fulton vibrant. It’s coming back. There’s life happening.”