Woman Allegedly Warned of Family Dollar Partial Building Collapse 1 Day Before Deadly Incident

NEED TO KNOW

• A Family Dollar store in Kansas City, Mo., partially collapsed on July 27, killing one person and injuring others

• Noah Banks, who lives across from the store, said she had noticed the building’s sagging condition for some time and warned her friends about it

• City inspectors visited the building on July 22 in response to trash complaints, according to a report

A day before a deadly roof collapse at a Family Dollar store in Kansas City, Mo., a neighbor said she texted a photo to her friends over concerns that the front of the building appeared to be buckling.

“I’ve been watching this for quite awhile now, please be careful the next time you go to Family Dollar, it’s falling,” Noah Banks said in the text message, which was shared by ABC affiliate KMBC.

Banks, who lives across from the Family Dollar store, told the outlet that she had been monitoring the condition of the building for some time.

“I believe that that man did not have to lose his life because they were aware of it,” she alleged.

The deadly incident took place at the store located on 3726 Broadway on Sunday, July 27, the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) shared with PEOPLE.

Michael Hopkins, a spokesperson for the Kansas City Fire Department (KCFD), told The Kansas City Star and NBC affiliate KSHB that the front facade of the store broke apart.

A 68-year-old man was killed, and a 50-year-old woman was critically injured, Hopkins said. Two other people were treated for injuries and released.

The man who died was identified by family and neighbors as Larry Banks, who had just left the store when the building’s facade crumbled, according to KMBC.

Officials at the time did not share what caused the building to partially collapse.

“The investigation remains open and there is not anything additional available at this time,” police said in an email to PEOPLE on Tuesday, July 29. “As with any death investigation, detectives will work with prosecutors to determine if there are applicable charges.”

One of the neighbors who received Banks’ warning text on Saturday was Cheryl Carson, who told The Kansas City Star that she headed to the store that Sunday morning, hours before the incident, and began praying.

“When I went in there,” Carson recalled, “I talked to the lady at the counter … And I said, ‘Aren’t you guys scared about what’s getting ready to happen?’ I said, ‘This building looks like it’s getting ready to fall down.’ She said, ‘I know, you’re not the only one who has said something about that.’ ”

The employee allegedly said the store’s management chose “to wait and see what’s going to happen” due to air conditioning and maintenance issues, Carson said.

According to city records, the last time city inspectors visited the store building occurred on July 22, due to trash complaints, KMBC reported.

The Kansas City Star also reported that a photo attached to the July 22 inspection file appears to show the building’s corner and facade tilting and coming apart respectively.

A city inspector returned to the site after Sunday’s partial collapse, and the store has been closed indefinitely, according to KMBC.

KMBC reported that the building was owned by Arthur Fels Company, which PEOPLE contacted on Tuesday. In an earlier statement shared with KMBC, a representative for Arthur Fels Company said, “Our hearts and prayers and deepest sympathy go out to the family and friends of the gentleman that died and the individuals that were seriously hurt from this tragic accident.”

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Family Dollar wrote, “We are deeply saddened by the tragedy at the leased Family Dollar store on Broadway Boulevard in Kansas City.  Our hearts and thoughts are with those impacted.  We are conducting wellness checks with our employees and offering them resources and assistance.  The Company is conducting an investigation into this matter.”

A representative for the city of Kansas City shared a statement with PEOPLE that read, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and the injuries that occurred. This is not something the City takes lightly. We are actively investigating this incident and working closely with multiple departments — including Public Works, Neighborhood Services, City Planning and Development, and the Kansas City Fire Department.”

In the aftermath of the incident, Banks told The Kansas City Star on Monday, July 28, that her heart has been heavy.

“I want that lady and that man to have justice for what happened to them both,” Banks said, per the newspaper. “For the last two days, before it happened — I am a follower of Christ Jesus — and I heard the Holy Spirit tell me to warn as many people as possible.”

Read the original article on People