SALEM, Ohio - Cleanup is underway just days after a 90 year old building partially collapsed on North Broadway and East State Street in Salem.

Demolition on the building began after part of the roof came down Sunday afternoon.
Salem Fire Chief Scott Mason said the roof had been in need of repair for years before it finally gave out -- an outcome he had hoped to avoid for years.

"2016, when I first became chief, that was the first state citation I issued," Mason recalled. "We had a structural engineer report done that said the collapse was probably going to be imminent. There were several avenues we tried to rectify it."

In the years since, the roof had become enough of a concern that the issue was brought to court, resulting in a demolition on the property to be ordered in May 2024.

But the integrity of the building did not hold up to its expected demolition date.

In the past decade in Salem, there have been two incidents of partial collapse and one structural concern .
Chief Mason says, the responsibility to make repairs rests firmly on the shoulders of property owners, since older buildings are routinely evaluated for potential risks.

"With no maintenance, older structures just can't hold up," he said.

The fire chief added there had been discussions years ago of passing a city ordinance to make building evaluations by a structural engineer mandatory on a five year basis, which never turned to action.

Though it's unclear whether those conversations will be reignited in the aftermath of this recent collapse, the city is taking action to repair the immediate damages caused to surrounding businesses.

BB Rooners reported minor damages to the back patio area of their restaurant, but no immediate structural concerns, since the wall that connected their business to the neighboring building remained fully intact.

The owners and management team sent a statement to 21 News, reading:
"We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the incredible firefighters, police officers, and city officials for their swift and professional response in ensuring everyone's safety during the recent incident. Your dedication made a challenging situation manageable, and we are deeply appreciative.
To our amazing customers and local community, thank you for your unwavering support and kind words over the past three days. Your encouragement means the world to us.
We're thrilled to reopen our doors and get back to serving you the affordable, delicious, and thoughtfully crafted meals you love.
Thank you for being part of the BB Rooners family. We can't wait to see you again!"

Heggy's confectionery, which neighbors the collapsed building opposite BB Rooners, says their restaurant area will need some larger repairs.

"One of the walls fell on our cooler and freezer unit," Christopher Sell, one of Heggy's owners said. "(It's) a total loss on that but as soon as soon as we get a new box and refrigeration units installed, we'll open up the restaurant."