Roof of South Fargo Building Closer to Completely Collapsing

All utilities have been shut off

FARGO, N.D. — The roof of a south Fargo building that started collapsing yesterday is now closer to completely falling in.

Fire crews were called back to the building at 3301 13th Avenue South because walls have started cracking. All utilities are shut off so when the roof does collapse it won’t cause an electrical fire.

The Westwood Galleria was evacuated on Tuesday.

Firefighters put up no-trespassing signs to keep people out of the building.

“If we get rain and the rain drains off it might not cause any more issues. If it gets a bunch of snow it might be what finally does it in so it’s hard to say. It’s very dependent on the weather, the building, how many interior walls there are to help holding it up, and all those things, so it’s hard to say,” Battalion Chief Dane Carley of the Fargo Fire Department said.

Firefighters say buildings with flat roofs and few interior walls are more likely to collapse.