Partial Church Collapse in Danbury Under Investigation

According to a release from the City of Danbury, a large portion of a church building on West Street collapsed Thursday afternoon, prompting a response from Danbury firefighters and city officials.

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The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. on August 13, when the Danbury Fire Dispatch Center received a report from a passing motorist about a partial building collapse at 26 West Street.

Fire crews arrived and discovered that a significant section of the church structure had come down. Firefighters searched the affected area, including using thermal imaging equipment, to make sure nobody was trapped inside. Fortunately, they found no signs of anyone being trapped.

Eversource was called to the scene to shut down and secure the building's electrical and natural gas services. Building officials and members of the Danbury Fire Marshal's Office also responded to examine the structure and begin looking into what caused the collapse.

The building's owners are now working with contractors to secure the property and stabilize the portion of the structure that remains standing.

City of Danbury

At this point, officials have not said what caused the collapse. The investigation is ongoing.

The good news is that there were no reported injuries connected to the incident.

It's one of those situations where a passing motorist just happens to notice something seriously wrong and makes the call. That's exactly what happened here, and thankfully, firefighters were able to search the building and determine there was nobody trapped inside.

For now, the focus is on making the remaining structure safe and figuring out why part of the building suddenly gave way.