ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — The roof of a classroom building at a university in North Carolina collapsed over the Labor Day weekend.
Construction tape lines the perimeter of Mid-Atlantic Christian University’s Heritage Hall. Construction crews were on the building's roof when the collapse happened, but managed to avoid injury.
Alumnus Michael Duffer is among those who helped university officials salvage what they could from the debris on Monday.
“I just saw it yesterday. My wife and I left church and came by and we just kind of drove by slowly," Duffer said. "Just a complete disaster. It made me sad, it really did. My heart just went out because I have connections here: people and my memories.”
The roof collapsed Saturday around 11 a.m. The university’s president John Maurice said construction crews were on the roof when it happened.
“The roof was being re-shingled and they were here beginning work that morning and the neighbors basically said they started to hear the building shifting," he said. “Fortunately the roofers were able to get on the ends where it was safe. So no one was injured.”
The hall held the university’s largest classrooms, as well as the cafeteria and some academic offices. Maurice said no classes were taking place at the time.
“It’s our primary classroom building. The section that collapsed were our three largest classrooms,” he said. “We could have had 24 students in each of those classrooms so we’re thankful that nobody was in the building.”
Students will continue learning at other buildings on campus and Maurice said the nearby College of the Albemarle offered some of its classrooms for use.
As for the cafeteria, school officials will serve meals in the gym and are working with the food vendor on a long-term solution.
Maurice said the insurance company will investigate to determine if the building is a total loss. If so, it could cost anywhere from $4 million to $5 million.
Engineers are working to determine the cause of the collapse.