The roof of a downtown Murray building partially collapsed this morning. Police and city officials received calls about the damaged building on 117 S. 4th St. around 10 a.m.
The building used to house Yours, Mine and Ours and still belongs to the same owner. No one was in the building when a section of the roof collapsed.
City Manager Matt Mattingly says the city is working with the owner to bring in a structural engineer to assess whether or not there are any other additional safety concerns.
"We also require the structural engineer to take a look at the other two adjoining buildings to make sure that there's not damage to their facilities as well," Mattingly said. "We're requiring that to be done by Monday at the end of the day an engineer to come on site. We expect a report by the end of the day on Wednesday so the city can get guidance on if we can allow those other two businesses to reopen and be occupied.
"So at this point in time the city is on hold until we get additional information from the property owners and the structural engineer."
Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce President Aaron Dail says unlike a previous building collapse downtown last month, the effects on other nearby businesses should be minimal.
"It does slow down a little bit of the economy when it comes to those businesses," Dail said. "But one of the now after-effects will be for us as a Chamber, as a Convention and Visitor's Bureau and Murray Main Street to see how we can continue to support those two to three businesses that are in that immediate area and making sure they get the supplies and necessary areas to conduct business again."
Business owners of the adjacent buildings, which include The Cake Lady and Crye Leike Realty, were allowed to go in with officials to gather some items while the city determines and addresses any safety concerns. Police are blocking off part of the block around the damaged building, but Dail said they are working toward minimizing the restricted access area as soon as possible.
