Main Street building concerns Cape officials

Emergency officials blocked off a section of a Main Street sidewalk and part of the road Sunday afternoon in Cape Girardeau after a resident informed police an old building looked as if it may collapse. The vacant building at 36 N. Main St. has several bricks bulging from its left side, but officials don't expect it to collapse, said Fred Vincel, Cape Girardeau Fire Department's battalion chief. "We've been up on the roof and it seems fine," he said. "We're just worried there may be a fallout of some of these bricks." That is the reason the portion Main Street and its sidewalk will be blocked off for an indefinite period of time, Vincel said. The owner of the vacant building was out of town when emergency personnel reached the scene. Vincel said the owner was contacted and will have the building repaired today. Vincel was unsure of the age of the building but said it's at least 100 years old.