Maplewood building collapse leaves 1 dead, 1 hurt
MAPLEWOOD (WABC) -- One person was killed and another injured in an internal collapse of a building in New Jersey Friday morning.
The incident happened just after 9 a.m. at Coda Kitchen and Bar on Maplewood Avenue in downtown Maplewood.
Three construction workers were inside at the time, removing sections of the structure in the basement when whatever they removed caused the first floor to collapse.
One victim was pronounced dead at the scene, while the injured person was taken from the basement and rushed to the hospital.
"There were two construction workers trapped," Maplewood Deputy Fire Chief Joe Callaghan said. "One of the construction workers was extricated by fire personnel. He is now being treated at University Hospital. His condition is serious. Unfortunately, the second construction worker was dead on arrival."
The third worker was not hurt.
Coda serves lunch and dinner, and it was not open at the time of the collapse.
Emergency construction crews were working to shore up the building so that investigators could safely get inside, and other shops on the strip were evacuated as a precaution.
The restaurant has been a fixture in downtown Maplewood since opening in the summer of 2010.
The investigation is ongoing.
