Cherry Hill Office Building Collapses

CHERRY HILL, N.J. -- A portion of a Cherry Hill office building crumbled Thursday afternoon, sending bricks and glass hurtling onto the sidewalk and halting rush-hour traffic.

Authorities said no one was hurt in the 4:30 p.m. accident at the eight-story office building.

A portion of Route 38 was closed for hours and reopened late Thursday, NBC 10 reported.

Cherry Hill fire Chief Robert Giorgio said high winds may be responsible for the partial collapse.

About 50 people were in the building at the time. Some of them "heard a loud gust of wind and then debris started to fall," Giorgio said.

The chief said the building had been remodeled within the past year, and that the brick and glass exterior is new.

The building will remain closed Friday, as experts assess its stability.

The building's leasing agent, NAI Mertz, could not be reached. The building's owner was not known Thursday.

Author: Copyright 2003 by NBC10. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.