Portsmouth, Rhode Island: One fatality after building partially collapsed

On Saturday, June 7, around 5:30 p.m. local time, a building partially collapsed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, resulting in the death of a teenager and injuring four others. One of the injured remains in critical condition. The building, located at 35 Power Street, was promptly attended to by both the Portsmouth Police Department and the town’s fire department.

An investigation is currently underway to determine the exact cause of the collapse. The town’s building inspector and planner are conducting an independent review, while the police department is also investigating whether criminal negligence or other factors may have contributed. Assistance has been requested from the state attorney general’s office.

First responders reported that a concrete landing at the top of an exterior staircase on the building’s north side had given way and collapsed vertically to the ground. The collapsed landing provided access to the second-floor entrance of the Portuguese American Club.

Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and stated that his office is continuing to monitor the situation.