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Scaffolding Collapse in Downtown Aurora Injures Three, Raises Questions About Construction Oversight
A partial building collapse on East Galena Boulevard sent debris onto the street and left three people with minor injuries, spotlighting a long-running renovation project that had already shown signs of trouble.
AURORA, Ill. â Three people were injured Wednesday evening when scaffolding and a section of brick exterior wall gave way at a building in downtown Aurora, sending debris crashing onto the roadway in a collapse captured by surveillance cameras.
The incident occurred just after 6:30 p.m. in the 100 block of East Galena Boulevard, according to Aurora police. Video footage shows a dust cloud billowing outward as drivers and pedestrians scramble to react to the sudden failure.
The three people hurt suffered minor injuries and are expected to recover, authorities said. A car was parked beneath the scaffolding at the time, but the city confirmed that no one was inside the vehicle or the building when the wall came down.
The building has been under construction for more than a year, and scaffolding was erected only a few months ago, according to city officials. The same structure shed bricks last summer, an early warning sign that preceded the larger collapse this week.
Plans called for a restaurant on the ground floor, with residential units on the upper floors that were vacant. The city had approved the renovation work.
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation. The incident raises fresh questions about how construction sites in the city's core are monitored, particularly when a building has already shown signs of structural distress. For a downtown corridor that depends on foot traffic and small-business activity, Wednesday's collapse is a reminder of the stakes when aging brick structures meet prolonged renovation timelines.
No further details were immediately available about the scope of the damage or when the surrounding block might fully reopen.