Three story building reduced to rubble

Middletown, Conn. (WTNH) - In Middletown, a three story brick building came tumbling down Wednesday morning.

It happened Wednesday morning at 505 Main Street. The building houses a framing business, a barber shop and other professional offices. Two people were inside at the time, but were able to get out safely.

Witnesses tell News 8 that the collapse sounded like an explosion and felt like an earthquake.

On Wednesday night there were three cranes, a flat bed truck, fire trucks, and an ambulance standing by, as emergency crews went through the area and figured out which buildings were damaged and which ones are safe.

Many people in that area are spending the night at Middletown High School.

"You heard this loud boom and it was all over the street," Sheila Gardener from Middletown said.

It happened in the blink of an eye, and now it could take days, even weeks, to clean up. An entire city block on Main Street is now closed. More than a half a dozen buildings have been evaucated, forcing businesses and tenants out into the streets.

"My wife called me and let me know that it caved in and they emptied our apartment out because the fire department was going through each apartment," resident Eddie Walker said.

The Red Cross provided transportation and emergency kits to more than a dozen people at the shelter in the high school. Since they could be out of a home for more than a day, they will be calling the Super 8 home.

For others who just need a night while their buildings are inspected, cots were set up in the high school gym.

"If you have that fear that you have no place to go, or it's going to collapse or you have no utilities you can come here," said Sue Parker from the Red Cross.

As Sheila and Eddie take the bus off to the Super 8, they are not sure how long they will be homeless, as everything they own is in the building.

When asked how long they would be out of their apartment, Sheila said, "They have a company coming over to inspect each building one-by-one. We are looking at about 2, maybe 3 days."

The Red Cross says all of the cots set up are ready as a precaution. That's because they are worried about other buildings in Middletown, and should those start to collapse, or other people need to be evaucated, they will be all set, ready to take them in.