OLD PARIS IS GOING AWAY…

A floor collapses on Rue d'Aboukir

NO INJURIES TO ANY PERSONS. Mrs. Normand and a few members of her family were finishing lunch yesterday, around two o'clock, on the second floor of the building located at 81, Rue d'Aboukir, when they heard creaking in the kitchen: the floor of this room was slowly settling.

The premises had barely been emptied when the floor collapsed with a crash and the materials came to fill a restaurant room, fortunately deserted for two weeks, the establishment being under repair. No accidents to any person were to be deplored; but, in anticipation of a possible collapse of the building, the thirty-five tenants were evacuated; a blind old lady living on the fifth floor had to be brought down by arms.

Mr. Schadelin, the commissioner of the Bonne-Nouvelle district, immediately intervened and entrusted Chief Inspector Parveau with the management of a security service which, by blocking the surrounding streets, prohibited all traffic near the building.

Situated at the corner of the streets of Aboukir and Petits-Carreaux, this house, five stories high and three centuries old, passes five bus lines, the vibrations of which may not have been unrelated to the collapse that occurred.

Mr. Bourneuf, the architect-surveyor of the City of Paris, went in the afternoon to examine the building and ordered that certain parts be reinforced; but a total collapse of the building does not seem to be feared.