NEW LONDON, Conn. — Clean-up continues at a historic church in New London that saw its steeple and roof collapse Thursday as officials said it was a total loss.
The former First Congregational Church on Union Street had stood since 1850 when the building's soaring steeple and roof collapsed, leaving a gaping hole in the top of the building. The front of the church was reduced to a heap of rubble.
Heavy machinery was on site Saturday morning as crews began demolition of the remaining structure.
On Friday afternoon, Mayor Michael Passaro said after initial investigations into the structure, the remainder of the church needed to be demolished.
"It's heartbreaking," he said. "The skyline of the city has permanently changed."
The collapse happened around 1:30 p.m. Security camera footage showed the steeple of the church falling, followed by a plume of dust and debris.
No deaths or injuries were reported in the collapse. The Engaging Heaven Church, which occupied the building said all members were accounted for.
City officials said one woman was inside the church at the time of the collapse but was able to get out safely.
Crews on Friday inspected the remaining structure to ensure its soundness.
The cause of the collapse was not immediately known. Officials said Friday that it was not an explosion, but a "catastrophic" event.
Demolition of the building is expected to be complete by next week.
One building next door to the church was a dormitory for Connecticut College. Students were evacuated Thursday and put up in a hotel for the night. Officials said there didn't appear to be any structural damage to the building, but students are expected to remain in the hotel throughout the weekend.
New London Mayor Micheal Passero said the building was likely a total loss, and crews must take down the steeples. A recent addition built on the church is also considered unusable. Passero also said during a press conference Thursday that there was no indication of a problem with the building. The church underwent regular fire inspections, but no routine structural inspections were performed, according to officials.
Passero also said that while there is no indication of any contaminants on the scene, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will consider the site to be contaminated until proven otherwise.
Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement that he was in touch with emergency management officials, and state emergency services and equipment have been deployed to help the clean-up efforts.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, representing the district, said he spoke with Passero, who "described a strong, thorough effort by first responders."
"Our office will continue to monitor developments, and we stand ready to help if federal assistance is needed," Courtney said.
The nearly 175-year-old church wasn't just used for worship but also served as a place for serving breakfast for those in need five days a week.
On Friday, organization and community leaders rallied together at the Salvation Army down the street to ensure everyone still had breakfast.
"We rallied instantly to figure out a place to feed the community like we do every day," said Beloved Carter, a volunteer at the breakfast program. "We did not want that to stop. We may have options, but there are people who don't, and we wanted to make sure we continued as normal as possible with our community, those in need."
Organization leaders said Friday they aren't sure where the new permanent breakfast spot will be, but said that even in a tragedy like the church collapse, no one will go a single day without a served breakfast.
The Engaging Heaven Church on Facebook announced that there will be a Sunday morning church service for the community at the Garde Arts Center in New London, beginning at 11 a.m. with doors opening at 10 a.m. Passero and other state and city representatives are expected to be in attendance, the church said.
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