Apartment Building Evacuated in Belmont Over Structural Issue

Structural engineers had evaluated the building after a resident noticed some cracking, a building inspector said at a news conference

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A condo building has been evacuated in Belmont, Massachusetts, over its structural integrity, fire officials said Friday.

Dealing with the building on Trapelo Road is an "ongoing effort," said Glenn Clancy, a Belmont building inspector. Seventy-five people were

Cracks were first spotted inside a sixth-floor condo a couple of weeks ago.

"I noticed that it started spreading," said Kurra, the tenant who noticed the cracking. "I got my landlord involved, he got the property manager involved."

Kurra wasn't taking any chances when she saw the cracking in her unit and in hallways as well.

"I was just worried about what happened in Miami, with the building falling out there in Florida," she said.

Property management along with the condo trustees hired structural engineers to inspect the seven-floor building, and the report came back Friday.

"In the preliminary evaluation, they saw some things on the upper two floors that concerned them enough that they recommended to the property manager of the building they should evacuate the building," said Belmont's building inspector, Glenn Clancy.

Property management told us by phone that the weight of the telecommunication equipment on the roof is one issue that's being looked at as possibly causing the problems.

"I'm on the top floor, so this is very serious," said Kurra.

Town officials say the building is not in imminent danger of collapsing, but the Florida building collapse is top of mind.

"A lot of us are in a heightened sense of awareness," said Belmont Fire Chief David DeStefano. "That goes for public safety officials, that goes for building owners and building occupants."

Belmont fire officials said a senior center would be available to house its residents temporarily.

No one was initially reported injured, officials said.

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