Awning Collapses at Strip Mall

Late in the afternoon on January 11, an awning at a strip mall in the 2600 block of Market Street collapsed and came crashing down on the sidewalk in front of five businesses.

The wood-and-stucco structure that supported the awning was approximately 100 feet long and 6 feet wide. There were no people under the awning at the time it came down, but 11 people were reportedly trapped inside a laundromat. Firefighters quickly responded and extra crews were called in with extrication equipment to chop up debris so that the people could be let out.

City building inspectors determined that the building was safe but that the businesses could not be reopened until the debris was removed. Before noon on January 12, the businesses were open. Building damages were estimated at $75,000.