(ABC 6 News) – Days after a partial apartment building collapse in Waseca, city officials are still unsure of the building’s future, asking people to continue to stay outside of barricaded areas.

Following emergency response to the collapse on April 2 in historic downtown Waseca at 113/115 South State Street, electrical and gas services were disconnected.

According to a press release from the city, the City Building Official and a hired private structural engineer evaluated the buildings and determined they could not be occupied. Displaced residents have been assisted by Waseca County Emergency Management.

The sidewalk and parking stalls in front of the buildings on State Street were blocked off and the buildings are boarded up. The alley and public parking lot to the east of the collapse area have been barricaded.

The City of Waseca Building Official is working with the property owner and their hired
structural engineer and will make further evaluations and recommendations

Before the fate of the building can be decided, feasibility, safety and financial factors will need to be considered.

The city will work with private entities to ensure the building and surrounding area is stabilized and
safe.

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(ABC 6 News) – An apartment complex partially collapsed on South State St. in Waseca on Wednesday. No one was hurt, but several tenants are now without a place to call home.

People were taken to the Waseca Public Safety Building while the city’s emergency management team worked with the American Red Cross to find housing for the tenants.

The collapse caused major disruptions to the city and even closed down a portion of highway 13 for a few hours.

After it was deemed safe to enter the building, fire fighters let people grab their pets and anything they would need for the next few days as they were transported to temporary housing.

First responders could not confirm what caused the building to partially collapse but Celina Campagna, one of the building’s tenants said she documented cracks on the backside of the building since September 2024.

“I have called the city about the crack in the building several times, I talked to the building inspector and our landlord wasn’t telling us any different,” Campagna said.

The cracks raised concern for Campagna because they were near a gas meter and she was worried it would blow up.

Campagna said no one was listening to her and after the collapse, she and the rest of the tenants are facing uncertainty.

“I have no idea what’s next and they aren’t really telling us much right now,” Campagna said.

As that uncertainty hangs over former tenants, Waseca public safety director Kris Markeson said he doesn’t know when people would be able to return to their apartment.

“I’m doubting it’s going to be anytime in the next day or two and I really don’t have a timeline,” Markeson said. “There is a lot of unanswered questions.”

As the day went on, fire fighters let people into the building to grab pets and other living essentials before heading to temporary housing locations.

The building is now boarded up so no one can enter and risk injury.