Heavy rains may be cause of Brooklyn building collapse

Investigators are saying the recent heavy rains may have caused the collapse of the Fort Greene building at 493 Myrtle Avenue yesterday. After reports that the building was issued a Department of Buildings citation May 1 for a large crack that ran up the exterior wall, speculations that the building wasn’t safe for living had arisen. But, according to owner William Sang, the exterior crack had been there for 10 years, years before he bought the building in 2006. He said when the buildings department came to inspect on May 1, it said the building was safe for tenants despite the crack. However, scaffolding was set up on the building and workers had been mending the exterior crack for several weeks, said tenant Anh Nguyen. Fire crews were called to the building shortly after its collapse. Four people were injured and several buildings were evacuated. [NYT] and [NYDN]