Car hangs by bumpers after parking deck collapses onto underground garage

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO/Gray News) – The top level of an apartment complex parking deck in Cleveland collapsed onto the underground level of the garage just before midnight Tuesday, according to investigators.

A large portion of the parking deck could be seen resting on top of a car in a video shared by the Parma Fire Department.

According to WOIO, conditions made it difficult for firefighters to search for victims as busted water lines sprayed throughout the underground garage.

Authorities said no one was hurt during the collapse, and all residents and firefighters were accounted for.

“We were very fortunate that this incident did not result in any loss of life or injury,” Parma Fire Chief Michael Lasky said. “One of the residents whose vehicle was impacted had only recently returned to his residence where seconds later the parking deck collapsed.”

Nicholas Shultz was getting ready for bed when he heard noises outside that he could not place. Just as he went outside to investigate, the ground gave way.

“It was just shock and awe,” Schultz said.

His car was parked right where the ground gave out and was hanging, precariously, by its bumpers over the garage below.

Multiple callers to 911 worried that there were people in the garage or that the ground was unstable and that there was the potential for a further collapse or that the high rise was structurally damaged.

Firefighters said, however, the apartment complex itself was in no danger of collapsing, and engineers are working to ensure any additional collapse does not occur at the garage.

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