Residents of an apartment building catering to University of Maryland students were evacuated Thursday after two facades apparently blew off the roof of the building.
The collapse happened at the Enclave in College Park. No injuries were reported.
A single gust of strong wind may have blown the facade from the roof, closing Route 1 and downing wires, Prince George's County Fire Department Chief Marc Bashoor told News4's Derrick Ward. Bashoor stressed that the department would continue to investigate the cause of the collapse.
"Next thing you know a light hit the top, and everything [fell], the electricity went out," witness Paola Khan said.
Berwyn Heights Volunteer Fire Department first tweeted about the incident around 5 p.m., but did not specify what structure had collapsed.
Collapse Invest | NB BALTIMORE AVE/EB GREENBELT RD | TGD3 | Box 1105 | TK814 pic.twitter.com/PW44EIG1Xy — Berwyn Heights VFD (@BHVFD14) July 3, 2014
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Prince George's County Fire Department Chief Marc Bashoor tweeted a similar photo around 5:30 p.m., saying the collapse appeared to be part of a metal facade.
On scene w/units at roof failure - 8700 block Baltimore Av. Appears 2 B large facade ONLY, however inspector enrout pic.twitter.com/UHkIU5HSgR — Marc Bashoor (@PGFD_Chief) July 3, 2014
Damage to the apartment building's roof was minor enough that top floors were the only ones cleared initially.
