Vacant skyscraper sheds heavy debris in high winds, hitting passerby in New Orleans
.png "Pieces of an abandoned skyscraper rained down onto the street below in New Orleans.")
Pieces of a vacant office building rained down onto the street Thursday afternoon in New Orleans, injuring a person below, authorities and media outlets say.
Strong winds sheared paneling off the Plaza Tower building, according to authorities.
The New Orleans Police Department described the situation as a “partial building collapse” and closed down several streets in the area around the skyscraper.
Some of the debris that fell from the 45-story structure landed on a bicyclist, The New Orleans Advocate reported. Paramedics took the person to a hospital, although the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
Constructed in 1969, the Plaza Tower was one of the first skyscrapers to grace the city’s skyline, but asbestos and mold drove tenants away, and the former owner was left fending off several lawsuits, WWL reported.
It has sat empty since 2002.