Credit: @tobehhh3/Instagram
Philadelphia authorities announced late Wednesday night that six people were confirmed dead in a Center City building collapse and at least 14 were hurt.
Search efforts were expected by officials to remain on-going throughout the night.
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“If anyone is still in that building they will find them,” Mayor Michael Nutter told reporters at a press conference carried live on local TV shortly after 11 p.m.
About an hour after Nutter’s comments, preliminary reports indicated that 61-year-old Myra Plekam was pulled from the rubble alive. She was rushed to the hospital, according to scanner traffic.
“Just witnessed a miracle!” Philadelphia Police Department District Captain Frank Banford tweeted just minutes after news that a person was pulled from the collapse site.
Credit: Instagram/Daniel Prikhodko
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Not too many additional details on the rescue were available as of midnight.
Special K-9 dogs were called in to help emergency workers to search the rubble. Phoenix, a search dog owned by the chief of the Southampton Fire Company, was deployed to the scene.
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According to Philly.com, the collapse happened when a 4-story building at the corner of 22nd and Market streets that was being demolished fell onto the next-door Salvation Army Thrift Store. The building being taken down was once a porn shop and is owned by Richard Basciano, who the New York Times called the “undisputed Prince of Porn.”
Despite have permits to take down the building, a local contractor working across the street told 6abc.com he was not surprised the building collapsed.
“A police source said the collapse could have been caused by demolition at an adjacent building.” Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Ben Finley tweeted hours after the collapse.
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More Coverage:
- Buildings collapse in Philadelphia [Philly.com]
- Doc: Market Street collapse site was ‘absolute recipe for disaster’ [Metro]
- Missing man’s wife gets the call she dreaded [Philly.com]
