Penetanguishene's chief building official and engineers remain on site Thursday at 78 Main St. after a portion of the historic building collapsed at about 3 a.m. this morning.
No one was injured, but 14 people have been displaced and the popular Ken's Restaurant, along with other first-floor businesses housed within the building block, have been unable to open for business today.
The multi-unit building is more than 100 years old and is home to retail enterprises on the main floor and apartments on the second floor.
One man living in the second floor's corner unit was thrown out of his bed and onto the sidewalk during the collapse, but was uninjured and has been given a temporary place to stay at a local hotel.
Police and fire crews remain on the scene and Southern Georgian Bay OPP officers have closed Main Street at Robert Street, down to Water Street. They are urging people to avoid the area even though many people have come to the area to see the destruction.
Officials on site are trying to determine if the whole building needs to be demolished. Gas and electricity for the entire building has been shut off.
Penetanguishene Fire Department received a call for a building collapse, with possible people trapped, on Sept. 7 at about 3 a.m., officials say.
On arrival, Penetanguishene fire crews found the walls on two sides of the southwest portion of the sprawling building had collapsed. Several people were originally unaccounted for. As a result, crews began searching for occupants and assessing the structure for stability.
A rapid intervention team from the Midland Fire Department along with an urban search and rescue team from Barrie Fire and Emergency Service were requested.
All occupants have now been accounted for. There were no injuries to occupants or fire personnel.
The cause of the building collapse is being investigated.
Penetanguishene Fire Chief Richard Renaud thanked Midland Fire, Barrie Fire, County of Simcoe Paramedics, and the OPP for their assistance.
