Video: Buildings Collapse In Okolona

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OKOLONA, Miss. (WCBI) — Due to the severe weather Tuesday night, 3 buildings collapsed in downtown Okolona, including the old Merchants and Farmers Bank building.

Okolona Fire and Rescue were alerted to the building’s gradual deterioration almost two weeks ago when bricks started to fall off.

Martha Henson and her husband bought the building, which was built in 1903, around a year ago.

She said that the building had gone through a restoration, but the way it was built is what led to it’s downfall.

“Apparently the process back then with the brick and mortar…the rain causes, basically somewhat similar to erosion and it causes the mortar to turn to sand…”, explained Henson.

She also said her husband created his own golf simulator in the building’s upstairs, “and he would be hitting his foam golf balls and I thought that he was knocking the sand loose, you know, I just thought it was something that was old dust or something.”

Henson said shortly afterwards they noticed a crack in the wall, which turned out to be from structural damage, not cosmetic.

The roof was beginning to shift, Henson explained, and because of an electrical issue involving the lights, she and her husband were forced to relocate their business, Denver’s Closet.

Henson said the light issue was a “blessing in disguise”.

When they were alerted of the bricks falling off the building, Okolona fire and rescue blocked off the area on Main Street for public safety.

Two other buildings collapsed and no injuries were reported.

Fire and rescue officials ask the public to avoid the Main Street and downtown area as much as possible.