On Wednesday evening, the Wilmington Fire Department responded to a call at 522 E 4th Street, where the front wall of a vacant residential building had collapsed onto the street.
According to Battalion Chief Robert Pryor, the incident occurred just before midnight. Responding crews searched the debris pile and the remaining parts of the building and found no victims.
The house, long unoccupied and previously part of a demolished row of similar structures. Pryor said Delmarva Power was called out to address a ruptured gas line and the Department of Licenses and Inspections to assess the building’s remaining stability and to initiate securing the site.
After the situation was stabilized and the necessary utility and safety checks were completed, the fire department placed the incident under control. The responsibility for the site was transferred to the Department of Licenses and Inspections. Pryor advised the public that one eastbound lane of E 4th Street between Lombard and Pine Streets remains closed, urging caution for travelers in the vicinity.
The response team comprised approximately 15 fire and EMS personnel, including units Engine 2, Engine 1, Ladder 2, and Battalion Chief 2.