Phoenix strip mall roof collapse: Surveillance video captures thundering crash

PHOENIX - A north Phoenix neighborhood is picking up the pieces—literally—after the front façade of a building collapsed on May 14. The entire incident was caught on camera.

Fortunately, no one was hurt. The collapse occurred just before 12:00 p.m. near Greenway and Cave Creek roads. First responders rushed to the scene to ensure no one was trapped under the debris. Thankfully, there were a few clues earlier that something was not quite right, or the situation could have been much worse.

The backstory:

The dramatic footage shows a thundering crash as the front façade of the building falls into a pile of rubble. The video was captured by surveillance cameras at a T-shirt and sign shop located across the street. Witnesses described a chaotic scene. One person noted, "It sounded like pretty much like trucks collapsing together." Another witness working nearby added, "We just heard like a crash and saw all of this outside."

The building affected houses a Latin restaurant and a hookah lounge. While all the people inside made it out safely, a couple of parked cars were not so lucky. Phoenix Fire Department crews moved quickly to deploy specialized equipment to search the remains of the structure.

What they're saying:

"Those are our search cams, and we use them in high-risk and structural flaps places," said Capt. Todd Keller of the Phoenix Fire Department. "They have listening devices on to be able to get these hard crevices.. tough to see places."

Before the structure became a pile of bricks, it featured what is known as a false mansard roof, which is a decorative overhang. It appears the decorative element could not hang on any longer. Some people in the area noticed signs of instability before the bottom fell out. Amari, who works nearby, said, "Yesterday, I noticed it was a hole on top of like over the hookah lounge. It was like a hole in the awning."

The collapse, as destructive as it appeared, could have resulted in a far greater tragedy. Darriah, who also works in the vicinity, expressed relief regarding her family's safety. "My daughter walks that walk to go to the coffee shop down the way, and so I’m just glad that you know she was not in the rubble," she said.

What we don't know:

There is no word yet on exactly why the roof came crashing down. The Phoenix Fire Department and other agencies are currently investigating the cause of the failure.