ST. LOUIS — A vacant three-story apartment building collapsed Friday afternoon in south St. Louis.
The collapse happened along a rear wall of the building on the 3900 block of South Grand Boulevard. The St. Louis Fire Department said the Collapse Rescue Task Force was called to the scene and a K-9 was being used to search the building.
Fire department spokesperson Capt. Garon Mosby said the building is vacant but is known to be frequently used as shelter by homeless people.
An occupied residence near the collapse zone was evacuated while officials worked to secure the scene.
Mosby said parts of the building's mortar appeared to have been washed away, which likely led to the top-down collapse.