Two buildings on Main Street in Kings Park collapsed on Tuesday, in a scene that drew a heavy emergency response but, remarkably, left no one hurt. One building caved in and the structure next to it began coming down as well, with storefronts buckling and glass shattering in different windows. What remained of the buildings was left exposed to the street as crews moved in to deal with the aftermath.
At the center of the collapse was the Main Street pub. The same pub had suffered a fire the previous year, during or before the St. Patrick's Day parade, and it was now at the heart of a new emergency. As News 12 reported from the scene, the building was caving in and the storefront was collapsing from the inside, with both buildings progressively giving way.
The cause, according to the Kings Park Fire Department, was tied to demolition work under way at the site. The fire department said a demolition crew was inside the pub earlier in the day when someone took out a support beam, causing both buildings to collapse. The removal of that single structural element was enough to bring down the adjoining structures.
Despite the scale of the collapse, the human toll was avoided. The fire department said everyone got out, and that no one inside or outside was hurt. Given the activity on the street, that outcome was widely seen as fortunate, with the buildings coming down in an area where people regularly pass by.
Officials confirmed that the buildings had not been in use. The Smithtown Building Department said both buildings were vacant, meaning no occupants were inside when the structures failed beyond the demolition crew that had been working there. That detail helped explain why a collapse of this size did not result in casualties.
For those who know the area, the lack of injuries was striking given how busy the block can be. There is a bagel shop on the same side of the street, with people moving back and forth all the time and a lot of children on their bikes, as one observer noted. It could have really hurt someone or damaged cars, the person said, calling it a blessing that nothing happened.
In response, Suffolk Police closed Main Street from Thompson Street to Church Street, and a demolition crew remained on the scene to begin taking down the buildings. The Smithtown Building Department said most of the work would be done that day but would not be finished, with crews focused on making the area safe and secure in Kings Park as the cleanup continued.