Partial Collapse at UniLock attributed to recent heavy rains

The Brewster Fire Department responded early Saturday August 4th to the UniLock facility located on International Dr on report of a possible explosion and building collapse. Upon arrival the Firefighters found that part of the building had indeed collapsed but found no evidence of an explosion or fire however Assistant Fire Chief Mike Bizzarro said "There was an odor of gas in the area". "The collapse of the building is thought to have been caused by excess water building up on the flat roof due to the heavy rains the last few days".

Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services also responded to the scene as did the County Executive Maryellen Odell. The County Executive stated after conferring with fire and emergency services officials on scene that UniLock, fortunately, has a back up facility as the main facility has suffered extensive damage and that the county and town of Southeast Building Department officials are working with UniLock employees to make the building safe. Town of Southeast Asst. Building Inspector Joe Hernandez said "Right now the building is unsafe. The gas has been shut off. When it re-opens is up to the owners. Once they have a plan in place, we'll work with them to make the building safe and get it operating again". County Executive Odell said "They (UniLock) have been here a long time, we are very lucky to have them here in Putnam County. They are one of the areas biggest employers and they are a nationally and internationally known brick paver manufacturer. Right now we are all trying to make the building safe so that they (UniLock) know where they are at on Monday morning and possibly open for business.".  

According to Assistant Brewster Fire Chief Mike Bizzarro, "Fortunately there were no injuries as the incident occurred between 630 and 8 am." which is a time when there is minimal staffing at the facility. UniLock officials were not available for comment at the time.

C
Submitted by Carmel, NY

Become a Local Voice in Your Community!

HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected.

Read Next