Awning collapses at McDonald's in DeKalb

TUCKER, Ga. — Inspectors are working to figure out what caused a 100-foot section of a local McDonald's to collapse Tuesday afternoon.

Dozens of fire and rescue crews raced to the restaurant on Chamblee-Tucker Road near Interstate 285.

Channel 2's Aaron Diamant spoke to witnesses about the frightening accident.

"The next thing I know, I heard a big bang. It just come down -- boom," said Abdouley Seck.

Seck said he was driving by when he saw the restaurant's parapet came crashing down.

"The people from the McDonald's just started running out, the customers and the employees just ran out," he said.

DeKalb County's elite technical rescue team arrived within minutes. Video from News Chopper 2 shows crews checking for victims possibly buried in the debris.

"They operated with a lot of urgency and trying to get some inspection holes cut very often just to get visual inspection," said DeKalb Battalion Chief William Roberts.

Turns out no one got hurt, but it was a very close call.

"A customer came through the door and immediately after the occupant came in through the door, the parapet collapsed," said Roberts.

Diamant pulled up records that show the restaurant was built in 1978, underwent renovations between 2004 and 2006, and was in good condition when last appraised.

County building inspectors have already started looking into what caused the collapse.
Meantime, police have the whole place taped off.

"We're not sure about the weight that's left on the structure with some of the stresses that are put on it missing the one piece," Roberts said.

Seck said he's relieved the outcome wasn't worse.

"It could have been me. It could have been somebody else," he said.

The franchise owner, who was at the restaurant, declined to comment. Calls and emails to McDonald's corporate office were not returned.

WSBTV