Key Food Pizza owner says they will rebuild after Philly building collapse
"Construction was in progress but the incident is under investigation at this time," the owner said.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Philadelphia pizza shop owner says she will rebuild after a building collapse on Thursday.
Sharon Labens Garro says she has been the owner of Key Food Pizza on the 2300 block of E York Street for 26 years.
"In the past 26 years I have raised my 4 children here. I have seen many customers grow up and to now see them have children of their own. My employees are my family and I am heartbroken for what happened today," Garro posted to a neighborhood Facebook group page.
Just before 10 a.m. Thursday, the three-story rowhome which housed the pizza shop on the ground floor and apartments above collapsed.
Preliminary information indicated it was unoccupied at the time.
"We're lucky the prep guy wasn't in there," Stephano Haviarais, who owns the building, told Action News.
He said the popular pizza shop was set to open at 11 a.m. and employees were usually there prepping around 10:30 a.m.
"They are lucky there wasn't a tragedy," Haviarais said.
Construction equipment could be seen at the collapse site. According to the building owner and neighbors, work was being done on a property next door before the collapse.
The Department of Licenses and Inspections confirmed that a new construction permit was issued to the property at 2331 E. York Street in November of 2021. They are evaluating if the work underway there contributed to the collapse.
"Construction was in progress but the incident is under investigation at this time," Garro said in her Facebook post.
Garro said she and her workers will miss their customers tremendously as they look to rebuild.
"I just want to thank every single one of you for all your calls, text messages, kind words and hugs. The building owner is planning on rebuilding and also we will be rebuilding the pizza shop. Not sure how long it will take but we will be back," Garro said.
"Please keep us in your prayer. We will be back better and stronger," she added.
This building collapse occurred approximately a half hour before an apartment building collapsed in Logan. Dozens of residents were displaced.
No injuries were reported in either collapse.
