Adam Huening
Some falling bricks from high atop the Murphy Building downtown caused some uneasiness Saturday.
According to Greensburg Fire Chief Scott Chasteen, bricks began to fall from the top of the Washington Street side to the sidewalk below around 2:30 in the afternoon. Chasteen closed down the street and contacted the building owner, Randall Hall, as well as a structural engineer to inspect the integrity of the building. Chasteen said he was unsure what caused the bricks to fall or the status of the building but his department was not taking any chances. Working with the building manager, the fire department evacuated the building, which houses apartments on the second floor but is vacant otherwise. Chasteen said the evacuation was precautionary and many of the building’s tenants were unhappy about vacating their apartments on such short notice.
“Some people didn’t like it. I’d rather inconvenience someone any day to keep them from getting hurt,” Chasteen said.
A structural engineer from Welsh Engineering arrived around 4:30 p.m. Saturday to inspect the building. With help of Ladder 6, he determined the damage was cosmetic, Chasteen noted. The engineer signed a waiver, which allowed residents to return to the building in the evening. However, the street remains closed. Chasteen said the building will be re-evaluated Monday morning and Street Commissioner Mark Klosterkemper will decide whether to re-open Washington Street or not.
The city will continue to work with Hall and his engineers on a schedule of repairs and plans for the building, Chasteen noted.
