Building facade collapses as woman leaves Atlanta chiropractor

A woman was taken to a hospital with neck and back injuries after part of a building fell on her as she was walking out of it, Atlanta fire officials said.

The woman was leaving a chiropractor’s office along the 500 block of Bishop Street in northwest Atlanta when part of the building fell about 20 feet, Atlanta fire spokesman Sgt. Cortez Stafford said.

The office is located inside of a strip mall, Stafford said. Initially, people inside the business were trapped inside, but fire officials were able to remove debris to set them free.

The woman was taken to the Grady Memorial Hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Three cars outside the building were damaged, Stafford said.

Stafford said he wasn’t sure how old the building was, but that numerous factors could’ve contributed to its fall.

“If it’s an older building, it could be that over time material that was holding structure together could’ve rotted,” he said, “It could be water damage or wind damage – anything that could deteriorate a façade.”

Stafford said the city building inspector and an engineer are investigating he collapse.