A building on the Lemp Brewery complex collapsed Sunday morning; this view is looking east along Cherokee Street. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
A jagged edge remains on the left after Building 20 at the Lemp Brewery Complex collapsed on Cherokee Street in South St. Louis on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
Firefighters inspect the scene where Building 20 at the Lemp Brewery Complex collapsed on Cherokee Street in St. Louis on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
A jagged edge remains after Building 20 at the Lemp Brewery Complex collapsed on Cherokee Street in South St. Louis on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
John Mcateer, 7, watches the firefighters inspect Building 20 at the Lemp Brewery Complex, which collapsed on Cherokee Street in St. Louis on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Mcateer’s mom said this is an everyday outfit for him. The family lives close to the scene and had to come out so he could check out the firefighters. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
Bricks fill Cherokee Street and the parking lot of the building after Building 20 at the Lemp Brewery Complex collapsed in St. Louis on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
Firefighters and utility workers inspect the scene where Building 20 at the Lemp Brewery Complex collapsed on Cherokee Street in St. Louis on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
Bricks fill Cherokee Street after Building 20 at the Lemp Brewery Complex collapsed in St. Louis on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
Firefighters inspect the scene where Building 20 at the Lemp Brewery Complex collapsed on Cherokee Street in St. Louis on Sunday, Aug. 23, 2020. Photo by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
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A building at the Lemp Brewery complex collapsed Sunday morning, potentially destroying 700 bicycles stored there.
No one was injured in the collapse of the six-story brick building, which happened around 9 a.m., at Cherokee and 18th streets. St. Louis BWorks, whose charter program is St. Louis Bicycle Works, was using part of the building to store at least 700 bicycles, said Patrick Van Der Tuin, the nonprofit’s executive director.
The group teaches children about bicycle safety and maintenance; giving them a free bicycle at the end of the program.
“Our bikes are underneath likely tons of bricks,” Van Der Tuin said at the scene of the collapse. “It’s just devastating to look at.”
He said he reported sections of loose bricks that had popped out from the wall to the complex’s owner, Shashi Palamand. Caution tape had been put up just last week, said Dan Guenther, alderman for the 9th Ward.
Police and first responders searched the scene with K-9s and did not find anyone inside the building. Utility workers responded to turn off water, gas and electrical connections. Nearby business Mac’s Local Eats closed for the day Sunday.
Palamand, who owns the complex under Historic Lemp Brewery LLC, said Sunday that he believed storms in April and again in July contributed to the collapse, and he had called in an engineer and a masonry company in the last few weeks to look at it. They said the damage appeared to be cosmetic and the building was structurally sound, he said. He had spent $1 million about 10 years ago to replace the roof of that building and strengthen its walls.