The unoccupied building has stood vacant for two years,according to FCRC's Bruce Bender, and the facility was to bedemolished by hand once contractors completed abatement. No one wasinjured.

Bender says, "Safety remains our primary concern and we havebeen in touch with city and state officials constantly since thepartial collapse of the parapet on the Ward Bread Bakery Buildingon Pacific Street. We are temporarily suspending all abatement anddemolition activities until the city's Department of Buildingsconcludes its preliminary investigation or the city directs usotherwise."

Almost immediately after part of the building fell, DevelopDon't Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB) issued a statement calling fordemolition to cease. "The Empire State Development Corp. mustinsist that Forest City Ratner stop all demolition on the projectsite until this collapse is fully investigated and the buildingstabilized, and until the public can be assured that there is aproper and responsive state-run site monitoring body in place."