WATCH: 2nd Floor Of South Side Building Partially Collapses, Narrowly Missing Person Walking By
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It was a very close call on Pittsburgh's South Side when part of a building collapsed on the sidewalk Thursday night, narrowly missing a person walking by.
Officials say the upper floor partially collapsed in the 1600 block of East Carson Street around 8 p.m. Witnesses told KDKA's Royce Jones that the collapse sounded like a bomb going off.
Surveillance video caught the moment the top half of the building came crashing down, bricks just barely missing a passerby.
"You can feel the force. The ground moved and I could feel little stones or something hitting me," said witness Rob Romano.
An employee told KDKA that people were inside the shop when the partial collapse happened. There was another woman who was trapped inside until somebody pulled her out.
"I was able to squeeze out the door, and then I was screaming for help because the other girl was still in there," said employee Ivy Li. "But someone was able to go in and grab her and get out."
WATCH: Royce Jones Reports
Investigators with Public Safety say it was likely a lightning strike that caused the collapse.
The building is home to the Swirl Penguin ice cream shop, which had just opened a few months ago. The Rex Theater next door was also damaged.
"We're tough. Americans are tough, we're gonna fight back here and Pittsburghers are the Vikings of the world," said Romano.
A firefighter was treated for glass in his eye, Public Safety said.
Romano says he and other South Siders plan to support both businesses in their recovery.
Meanwhile, investigators are on scene Friday afternoon, assessing the damage and trying to determine the official cause of the accident.
