HOUSTON – More than 100 workers were evacuated from a southeast Houston office building Friday after the building started to crack and shift, Local 2 Investigates reported.
Emergency officials were called to the four-story building at 12600 North Featherwood at Fuqua shortly before 9 a.m.
"I thought it was my last day," said a visibly shaken Amy Bacarisse, who was working inside the office building near the Gulf Freeway.
Houston firefighters arrived and quickly conducted a floor-to-floor search to get everyone out of the building, after District Chief James Soukup said an outside support beam apparently shifted and caused the entire building to shift. Daryl Archuleta was working at his desk on the third floor directly above that beam, which looked to be leaning to one side as firefighters roped the area off. He said he heard a loud noise and his chair moved from underneath him as plaster started falling from the walls. He said he came outside with other engineers from his refinery support business, but everyone wondered whether the entire building may be about to collapse. Some workers said they thought it was an earthquake. Soukup said some windows started to crack and a very defined fracture was visible along the roof directly above the shifted column. The fire department called for city building inspectors to assess the damage, but they expected workers to be kept out of the building for the rest of the day. The office building houses law firms, computer businesses and a dental firm. Paramedics had to help one sedated patient, who was having a dental procedure done when the sudden evacuation order was given. Soukup said she was helped out, but she was able to walk on her own and did not require any further medical attention. Some workers asked for firefighters to go in and retrieve their personal items near their desks since it appeared their workweek may be over a bit early. It was unclear whether a shift in the ground or some other structural problem with the beam led to the building suddenly shifting.