Unsafe chimney nearly causes building to collapse

Fearing a Waterloo building could collapse, crews had to work fast to remove a chimney.

Construction crews raced to safely remove a chimney from the building at the corner of Princess Street East and King Street North.  Otherwise, crews say it could have collapsed, taking the exterior wall with it.

On August 8^th, four uptown Waterloo businesses closed due to structural problems with the building they share.  The businesses were notified that a truss beam in their building’s attic had broken.  It remains unclear whether the broken beam was caused by storm damage or by a microburst or other internal cause.

The building houses Loop Clothing, McMullan’s Pub and Grill House, Night School and The Thief and the Idiot.

On the weekend prior to the 8^th, the four business owners met and decided to temporarily close.

“We decided that things were kind of unsafe and it wasn’t in our best interest or the general public’s best interest to open our doors,” Loop Clothing owner Alnoor Keshvani told CTV News on August 8^th.

On Thursday, crews began tearing down the chimney shortly after 1p.m.  The building’s gas and power lines were quickly shut off.  The truss beam had been temporarily stabilized.

Passerby Paul Wilson noted the chimney did not look safe from the outside.  “The chimney was bending like the tower of Pisa.”

The biggest concern for construction crews is that the chimney, which faces Princess Street, could cause the entire wall to collapse.

McMullan’s owner Chuck McMullan realized the severity of the situation rather quickly.  “While the workers were on the scaffolding, they noticed the wall starting to move.”

Demolition experts were brought in and crews scrambled.

In a few short hours, the chimney had been demolished.  “It has been a roller coaster of emotions”, says McMullan.

Now the focus shifts to what will happen to the four businesses inside.  McMullan is unsure when his restaurant will re-open.  “First it was two months closed.  Then it was six months closed.  Then it was two weeks closed.  And now who knows?”

All he knows, at this point, is that he’d like to continue operating out of the same location he’s been doing since 2000.  “I would be very disappointed to have to see it knocked down.  I would prefer to see it repaired and stay in place”, he says.

Princess Street East is expected to be closed for the rest of the night.  Supports still have to the exterior before inspectors can enter the building.  It’s unknown how long it will take to add supports to the building.