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Aurora Building Facade Collapses Into Downtown Street, Injuring Three
A partial building collapse in downtown Aurora sent scaffolding and brick tumbling into the intersection of Galena Boulevard and Broadway on Wednesday evening, leaving three people with minor injuries and closing major roads through the city center.
AURORA, Ill. â Three people suffered minor injuries Wednesday evening when part of a building's brick facade and scaffolding broke away and crashed into a busy downtown intersection, sending debris across the roadway and prompting an evacuation and road closures that will persist through the cleanup.
The collapse occurred around 6:40 p.m. in the 100 block of East Galena Boulevard, according to Aurora police. Surveillance footage captured the moment the structure gave way, showing a wall of brick and metal scaffolding plummeting to the ground as pedestrians on a nearby corner scattered and drivers swerved to avoid the falling rubble. Parked vehicles were struck by debris, and dust clouds filled the intersection.
Police and fire crews responded after reports that scaffolding and part of the building's exterior had separated from the structure and fallen into the street. The city said the three injured people are expected to fully recover. The building was evacuated as a precaution, and crews deployed a drone to assess the upper portion of the facade.
Video from the scene showed a large hole in the front of the building above a pile of twisted metal scaffolding beams resting in the street.
Firefighters later conducted what the city described as "targeted water operations to perform a controlled collapse on structurally unsound portions of the building," an effort aimed at preventing additional debris from falling onto Broadway Avenue and Galena Boulevard.
"Drivers should avoid the area and use an alternate route while crews are on scene," an Aurora police spokesperson said.
As cleanup continues, Illinois Route 25, also known as Broadway, will remain closed from New York Street to Downer Place. Galena Boulevard is shut down from River Street to Broadway and from Broadway to Lincoln Avenue. City officials said traffic control devices will be positioned to guide drivers through downtown, and the closures are intended to keep vehicles clear of debris while crews work.
The incident disrupted a central stretch of Aurora's downtown, where Galena Boulevard and Broadway form a key commercial crossroads. The cause of the collapse had not been determined as of Wednesday night, and it was not immediately clear how long the structural assessment and street repairs would take.
Residents and commuters should expect detours through the downtown area until further notice.