Sunday, July 18, 2010
Associated Press
HACKENSACK, N.J.
Authorities called off a 22-hour rescue mission at a partly collapsed parking garage Saturday after determining that no one had been trapped when a glass canopy attached to a high-rise condominium building fell the day before, a fire official said.
“We are looking at it as a major tragedy that was averted,” Hackensack Fire Department Lt. Stephen Lindner said Saturday.
Officials said rescuers dug through debris overnight to reach the vehicles feared to contain occupants. But when searchers got to the cars early Saturday, Lindner said they didn’t find anyone inside.
Another partial collapse occurred around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, but no injuries were reported. Crews were removed from the site after that collapse and, as a precaution, the cleanup work was suspended until at least today.
The three-story garage pancaked Friday morning when the canopy fell on it.
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