Downtown building falls apart Thursday

Editor's Note: Jeremy J. Ford's name was corrected below.

The front of a building at 633 Good Hope St. collapsed just after 1 p.m. Thursday as workers were repairing its brick exterior.

The property was unoccupied, but the police and fire departments evacuated several occupants of adjacent buildings and cordoned off the road between South Sprigg and South Frederick streets.

Battalion Chief Mark Starnes said no one was injured.

"They had been doing work on the building, and it decided to give out," he said.

The owner of the building and two adjacent properties refused to be identified, but records show the properties are owned by Jeremy J. Ford. The man cited the building's age and water damage as possible causes of the collapse.

Starnes said the area will remain blocked until the building can be inspected. Then a decision will be made whether to condemn the property.

tgraef@semissourian.com

Pertinent address: 633 Good Hope St., Cape Girardeau, MO