First responders were called to a busy shopping plaza in the Rolling Hills Estates after its parking garage structure partially collapsed amid the holiday shopping season during Wednesday’s storm.
Crews at the Peninsula Shopping Center are working to secure the collapse after a portion of the plaza’s parking garage was compromised by the storm. According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, planters on the third floor of the parking structure fell to the ground level after rain saturated dirt in them, causing them to rip off. The incident happened just before 3 p.m.
Video from the scene showed the exit and entrance of the garage blocked off by the fallen debris. Authorities shut down access to the garage while they responded to the scene. The mall remained open and was unaffected by the incident.
The partial collapse comes as Southern California gets drenched by a winter storm that is forecast to deliver measurable rain to the region. This storm – which is the second this week to hit SoCal – brings with it flood watches and evacuation warnings for parts of the region.
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A structural engineer was called to assess the severity of the damage. No injuries were reported nor was there any damage to vehicles in the garage in connection with the collapse.
