An engineer examining the safety of a building at 5th and Chestnut Street has ordered 5th Street to be closed until further notice, from the intersection east, to near the Post Office in Atlantic. The order came today (Monday), following the collapse Sunday night of an exterior brick wall on the north side of the building located in the 10 block of E. 5th. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic is prohibited from the area due to the danger of more bricks falling from the structure. Additional bricks fell during the day today (Monday), and there is concern the entire wall may collapse.

The structure is said to be over 100-years old. The building’s occupants were evacuated Sunday, when a large section of the brick wall tumbled onto the sidewalk below, collapsing that portion of the sidewalk.