Fire and rescue units from around Washington County and further east are on the scene of an apparent interior building collapse on Hancock’s main street. Response began sometime around 11 a.m. on Monday, March 25. By 11:30 a.m., Main Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Church Street was closed off to the public, marked off with red tape to keep the area in front of 55 West Main Street clear.
Hancock News reporter Geoff Fox has said Hancock town officials, Washington County inspections, Maryland DOT and the Maryland State Fire Marshal are all on the scene as well.
Preliminary reports indicate that the interior structure of the two-story building have collapsed into the basement. There is a gas connection to the structure, but no gas utility officials are on the scene and no smell of gas can be detected in the nearby area.
Hancock Town Manager Mike Faith was on Main Street with Councilman David Kerns and Hancock police. Faith confirmed and Washington County tax records indicate that 55 West Main Street is owned by Kenneth Apple of Falling Waters, W.Va. Faith said the town has been trying to work with Apple to address the condition of at least four buildings he owns in downtown Hancock. Apple bought the circa-1945 building at 55 West Main Street from the McKinley family in 1988, tax records say. The building size is roughly 6,500-sq. ft.
At 1 p.m., the Town of Hancock said Main Street would be closed indefinitely from the Park n Dine to Save A Lot because of the “compromised building.” Motorists are asked to avoid the area.
Emergency officials have requested the response of a building collapse specialty team and cadaver dogs in case there were individuals in the building. Sources say there were no permanent residents living there.
The Hancock News observed the following fire and rescue teams on the scene: Hagerstown Ladder, Washington County Emergency Services, Washington County Special Operations, Washington County Rehab, Hancock Fire Company, Hancock Rescue Squad, Funkstown, Halfway Tower Rescue and Germantown Fire Company. The area has also drawn multiple bystanders.
We will update the story as more information becomes available.
