SUNBURY — A section of the basement foundation wall at 2 S. Vernon St. on the Sunbury Square collapsed Sunday afternoon.
All occupants were safely evacuated. No civilians or firefighters were injured.
The building has been posted unsafe by Delaware County Code Compliance and East Cherry Street is closed next to the building until further notice.
At approximately 1:55 p.m., BST&G fire crews from Station 351 were dispatched to a reported basement collapse at the building, which houses Village Hair Company and two other storefronts.
Crews arrived approximately one minute later and found a large section of the basement foundation wall along East Cherry Street had failed, allowing block, brick, and soil to fall into the basement. Soil beneath a portion of the adjacent East Cherry Street sidewalk was also exposed.
Firefighters evacuated the occupants and confirmed the building’s other two storefronts were unoccupied.
During their assessment, crews found cracking in the exterior brick façade and in first-floor interior walls.
Additional resources were requested from BST&G Station 352 and the Porter Kingston Fire District Special Operations Trailer. Crews began installing temporary shoring in the basement to support the first floor.
While shoring was underway, conditions worsened. New cracks developed, and the north wall along Easy Cherry Street began leaning outward.
With all occupants already safely out of the building, the fire commander on scene withdrew firefighters from the structure and established a safety perimeter rather than expose crews to the risk of further collapse.
East Cherry Street was closed and all utilities to the building were shut off.
The building remains posted unsafe, pending evaluation by a forensic engineer. The cause of the collapse has not been determined.
Although the building may appear stable from the street, crews have observed signs its condition is continuing to deteriorate. The area inside the barricades is not safe for anyone to enter.
BST&G and the Sunbury Police Department are monitoring the scene. Officials asked the public to stay outside the barricades at all times and call 911 to report any visible changes.
East Cherry Street will remain closed until the building has been evaluated and officials determine it is safe to reopen. Traffic on the square is limited to local traffic only.
ODOT is posting temporary signage for the following detour route:
- State Route 3 / U.S. 36 to
- County Road 605 / State Route 605 to
- State Route 37 East
Motorists should follow posted detour signs, as the route may be adjusted.
BST&G officials thanked the following agencies for their assistance with the response, evaluation, and closures:
- Porter Kingston Fire District
- Sunbury Police Department
- City of Sunbury, including City Manager Daryl Hennessy and the Sunbury Street Department
- Delaware County Code Compliance
- Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)
Information in this release is preliminary and current as of Sunday at 6:20 p.m. Updates will be issued as more information becomes available.
