Building collapses in Montpelier

MONTPELIER, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - The back end of a building in downtown Montpelier collapsed Tuesday. People living in the area said it happened around 4:30 p.m.

The Tapper building is on Washington Street between 10th Street and 11th Street. No one was inside at the time of the collapse. The building is old and had sat vacant for several years. The collapse blew out all the windows in both the old and new Tapper buildings.

Montpelier authorities say they believe a large build-up of snow caused the collapse.

"We've had a heavy snow load year. A lot of wet, heavy snow on top of the building, that's kinda where we're leaning," Captain Nic Higgins of the Montpelier Fire Department said.

On Wednesday, Higgins said he didn't believe the building posed any risk for further collapse but wasn't going to take any chances. As a precautionary measure, nearly an entire block of Washington St. is taped off.

"We're keeping the public out," he said.

Long-time Montpelier resident Dianne Nate said she was in the building recently and described it as "deteriorated."

According to Nate, a man named Radek Konarik had purchased the building less than a month ago. She said he had not yet insured the property.

Konarik could not immediately be reached for comment.